Slotted communications in virtual AC power signal transfer

ABSTRACT

A wireless power transmission system includes a first antenna, a second antenna, a controller, a first power conditioning system, and a second power conditioning system. The controller is configured to determine a first driving signal for driving the first antenna based on a first operating frequency, a virtual AC power frequency, a slot length, and slot timing, and determine a second driving signal for driving the second t antenna based on a second operating frequency, the slot length, and the slot timing. The first power conditioning system is configured to receive the first driving signal to generate the virtual AC power signals at the first operating frequency, the virtual AC power signals having peak voltages rising and falling based on the virtual AC power frequency. The second power conditioning system is configured to receive the second driving signal to generate the virtual DC power signals at the second operating frequency.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present disclosure generally relates to systems and methods forwireless transfer of electrical power, and, more particularly, towireless transfer of virtual AC power signals.

BACKGROUND

Wireless connection systems are used in a variety of applications forthe wireless transfer of electrical energy, electrical power,electromagnetic energy, electrical data signals, among other knownwirelessly transmittable signals. Such systems often use inductivewireless power transfer, which occurs when magnetic fields created by atransmitting element induce an electric field, and hence, an electriccurrent, in a receiving element. These transmitting and receivingelements will often take the form of coiled wires and/or antennas.

Transmission of one or more of electrical energy, electrical power,electromagnetic energy and/or electronic data signals from one of suchcoiled antennas to another, generally, operates at an operatingfrequency and/or an operating frequency range. The operating frequencymay be selected for a variety of reasons, such as, but not limited to,power transfer characteristics, power level characteristics,self-resonant frequency restraints, design requirements, adherence tostandards bodies' required characteristics (e.g. electromagneticinterference (EMI) requirements, specific absorption rate (SAR)requirements, among other things), bill of materials (BOM), and/or formfactor constraints, among other things. It is to be noted that,“self-resonating frequency,” as known to those having skill in the art,generally refers to the resonant frequency of a passive component (e.g.,an inductor) due to the parasitic characteristics of the component.

When using such a wireless connection system to wirelessly power adevice, a direct current (DC) power input may be generated at arectifier of the receiving element, which may have a voltage comparableto power output of, for example, a USB port (e.g., typically about 0.5Watts (W) to about 50 W). However, a variety of devices exist (e.g.,electronic devices such as appliances) that are more suitably powered byan alternating current (AC) power input from a standard AC wall outletand components thereof. Such devices may include, but are not limited toincluding, high powered devices (e.g., kitchen appliances, power tools,among other things) and/or devices utilizing AC motors that areoptimized for receiving an AC power input.

SUMMARY

Accordingly, systems, devices, and methods for wireless power transferare desired that can simulate the power transfer from an AC wall outlet(or the like) to a device for which AC power input is more suitable,including but not limited to an electronic device such as an appliance.To that end, disclosed herein are systems, devices, and methods thatprovide “virtual AC power signals” via a wireless power transfer system,to power such devices (e.g., kitchen appliances, power tools, amongother AC powered machines, particularly those with AC motors).Additionally or alternatively, AC power input can be useful at highpower levels (e.g., of about 500 W to about 5 kiloWatts (kW)), becausethe alternating voltage can lower a peak current flow, over time, andlower peak currents result in less heat generated and/or result in lessloss in efficiency, due to resistance in the signal path. Virtual ACpower signals, generally, are wireless power signals that simulatecharacteristics of AC power input from, for example, but not limited to,a conventional power outlet.

The systems and methods disclosed herein are particularly beneficialwhen used to power devices that require high power levels, while alsoproviding some data communications during, before, or after transfer ofvirtual AC power signals. For example, such data communications may benecessary for controlling devices powered by AC power signals. However,due to the high power levels that may be produced by the virtual ACpower signals (e.g., due to the “virtual AC” rise and fall of saidsignals), particular modes of wireless data communications may beunavailable or unideal (e.g., in-band communications of the virtual ACpower signal). Further, other modes of wireless data communication mayrequire additional circuitry, which may be cost prohibitive or notsuitable for the given application (e.g., a Bluetooth communicationssystem, a WiFi communications system).

To address this need, the systems, devices, and methods disclosed hereinmay also be capable of performing another wireless power transfer, whichmay include in-band data communications, in addition to the virtual ACpower signal transfer. This additional wireless power transfer mayprovide a more traditional, “virtual direct current (DC) power signal”to the receiver element, which is generally transferred at a higheroperating frequency, in comparison to the operating frequency oftransfer for virtual AC power signals, and may also generally (but notnecessarily) have a lower peak power or voltage level than the virtualAC power signal.

In some such examples, the additional virtual DC power signal may be ofa lower power level (e.g., in a range of about 1 mW to about 15 W), whencompared to the virtual AC power signal (e.g., in a range of about 50 Wto about 5 kW). In such examples, the receiving element may include oneor more subsystems that are capable of being powered by such a lowerpower level signal. Thus, prior to using (or as an alternative to using)the virtual DC power signal for in-band data communications, the virtualDC power signal may be utilized to power components and/or devices ofthe receiving element. For example, while receiving power input from thesystems, devices, and methods disclosed herein, a device such as anappliance could utilize the virtual DC power signal to power up alower-power component such as a controller or control mechanism, whichis utilized to turn the device's higher-power components (e.g., a motor)on or off, thus, in some examples, communicating to the transmitterelement that virtual AC power signals are desired for powering thehigher-power components and/or facilitating receipt of the AC powersignals by the higher-power components.

In accordance with the present disclosure, the virtual DC power signaltransmitting system/sub-system may be a high frequency wireless powersystem, utilized for one or both of communicating with a receiverelement and providing additional, virtual DC power signals to thereceiver element, prior to, during, and/or after transmission of ACpower signals.

The systems, devices, and methods disclosed herein may be implemented byincluding a new high frequency wireless power system, which include newcircuits for allowing higher power transfer (greater than 300 mW) thanlegacy devices, without damaging circuitry and/or without degradingcommunications below a desired standard data protocol, are desired.

Wireless transmission systems disclosed herein may include a dampingcircuit, which is configured for damping an AC wireless signal duringtransmission of the AC wireless signal and associated data signals. Thedamping circuit may be configured to reduce rise and fall times duringOOK signal transmission, such that the rate of the data signals may notonly be compliant and/or legible but may also achieve faster data ratesand/or enhanced data ranges, when compared to legacy systems.

Damping circuits of the present disclosure may include one or more of adamping diode, a damping capacitor, a damping resistor, or anycombinations thereof for further enhancing signal characteristics and/orsignal quality.

In some embodiments wherein the damping circuit includes the dampingresistor, the damping resistor is in electrical series with the dampingtransistor and has a resistance value (ohms) configured such that itdissipates at least some power from the power signal. Such dissipationmay serve to accelerate rise and fall times in an amplitude shift keyingsignal, an OOK signal, and/or combinations thereof.

In some such embodiments, the value of the damping resistor is selected,configured, and/or designed such that the damping resistor dissipatesthe minimum amount of power to achieve the fastest rise and/or falltimes in an in-band signal allowable and/or satisfy standardslimitations for minimum rise and/or fall times; thereby achieving datafidelity at maximum efficiency (less power lost to resistance) as wellas maintaining data fidelity when the system is unloaded and/or underlightest load conditions.

In some embodiments wherein the damping circuit includes the dampingcapacitor, the damping capacitor may be configured to smooth outtransition points in an in-band signal and limit overshoot and/orundershoot conditions in such a signal.

In some embodiments wherein the damping circuit includes the dampingdiode, the diode is positioned such that a current cannot flow out ofthe damping circuit, when a damping transistor is in an off state. Thus,the diode may prevent power efficiency loss in an AC power signal whenthe damping circuit is not active.

The wireless receiver systems disclosed herein utilize a voltageisolation circuit, which may have the capability to achieve proper datacommunications fidelity at greater receipt power levels at the load,when compared to other high frequency wireless power transmissionsystems. To that end, the wireless receiver systems, with the voltageisolation circuits, are capable of receiving power from the wirelesstransmission system that has an output power at levels over 1 W ofpower, whereas legacy high frequency systems may be limited to receiptfrom output levels of only less than 1 W of power.

For example, in legacy NFC-DC systems, the poller (receiver system)often utilizes a microprocessor from the NTAG family of microprocessors,which was initially designed for very low power data communications.NTAG microprocessors, without protection or isolation, may notadequately and/or efficiently receive wireless power signals at outputlevels over 1 W. However, inventors of the present application havefound, in experimental results, that when utilizing voltage isolationcircuits as disclosed herein, the NTAG chip may be utilized and/orretrofitted for wireless power transfer and wireless communications,either independently or simultaneously.

To that end, the voltage isolation circuits disclosed herein may utilizeinexpensive components (e.g., isolation capacitors) to modifyfunctionality of legacy, inexpensive microprocessors (e.g., an NTAGfamily microprocessor), for new uses and/or improved functionality.Further, while alternative controllers may be used as the receivercontroller 38 that may be more capable of receipt at higher voltagelevels and/or voltage swings, such controllers may be cost prohibitive,in comparison to legacy controllers. Accordingly, the systems andmethods herein allow for use of less costly components, for high powerhigh frequency wireless power transfer.

In accordance with one aspect of the disclosure, a wireless powertransmission system is disclosed. The wireless power transmission systemincludes a first transmission antenna, a second transmission antenna, atleast one transmission controller, a first transmission powerconditioning system, and a second transmission power conditioningsystem. The first transmission antenna is configured to couple with afirst receiver antenna and transmit virtual AC power signals to thefirst receiver antenna. The second transmission antenna is configured tocouple with a second receiver antenna and transmit virtual directcurrent (DC) power signals to the second receiver antenna. The at leastone transmission controller is configured to determine a first drivingsignal for driving the first transmission antenna based on a firstoperating frequency, a virtual AC power frequency, a slot length, and aslot timing, provide the first driving signal, determine a seconddriving signal for driving the second transmission antenna based on asecond operating frequency, the slot length (t_(Slot)), and the slottiming, and provide the second driving signal. The first transmissionpower conditioning system includes at least one first transistor that isconfigured to receive the first driving signal, at a gate of the atleast one first transistor, and to receive a first input power signal togenerate the virtual AC power signals at the first operating frequency,the virtual AC power signals having peak voltages rising and fallingbased on the virtual AC power frequency. The second transmission powerconditioning system includes at least one second transistor that isconfigured to receive the second driving signal, at a gate of the atleast one second transistor, and to receive a second input power signalto generate the virtual DC power signals at the second operatingfrequency.

In a refinement, determining the first driving signal further includesdetermining a plurality of slots of time in the first driving signalbased on t_(Slot) and the slot timing, wherein the driving signal isconfigured such that the first transmission antenna is not transmittingmeaningful electrical energy during each of the plurality of slots oftime.

In a further refinement, determining the second driving signal, by theat least one transmission controller, further includes configuringtransmission of the virtual DC power signals such that transmission ofthe virtual DC power signals occurs, at least, within one or more of theplurality of slots of time.

In yet a further refinement, determining the second driving signalfurther includes configuring transmission of the virtual DC powersignals such that the second transmission antenna is not transmittingmeaningful electrical energy while the first transmission antenna istransmitting meaningful electrical energy.

In yet another further refinement, determining the second driving signalis further configured to encode data signals in-band of the virtual DCpower signals and the data signals are encoded in the virtual DC powersignals during at least one of the one or more of the plurality of slotsof time.

In yet another further refinement, the at least one controller isfurther configured to decode data signals from the virtual DC powersignals, the data signals being encoded in the virtual DC power signalby a receiver of the DC power signals.

In yet another further refinement, determining the first driving signalincludes configuring the slot timing to occur after each passage of aperiodic slot time, the periodic slot time based, at least in part, onthe virtual AC power frequency.

In yet a further refinement, the periodic slot time is an AC-on time(t_(ACOn)), wherein

${t_{ACOn} = {N*\left( \frac{1}{f_{vAC}} \right)}},$

wherein N is a number of cycles of a waveform for the virtual ACwireless signals, and

wherein fvAC is the virtual AC power frequency.

In yet a further refinement, t_(ACOn) ends at one of a plurality ofvirtual zero crosses of the virtual AC power signals, and each of theplurality of slots begins at one of the plurality of virtual zerocrosses.

In yet a further refinement, t_(ACOn) begins after passage of t_(Slot).

In yet a further refinement, t_(Slot) is in a range of about 0.5milliseconds (ms.) to about 2.5 ms.

In a refinement, providing the second driving signal includesconfiguring a secondary power transmission for the virtual DC powersignals, the secondary power transmission for the virtual DC powersignals occurring when the first transmission antenna is nottransmitting meaningful electrical energy.

In a further refinement, the secondary power transmission istransmission of the virtual DC power signals, prior to transmission ofthe virtual AC wireless power signals.

In yet a further refinement, the first and second receiver antennas areoperatively associated with an electronic device, the electronic deviceincluding a first component and a second component, the virtual AC powersignals are configured for powering, at least, the first component, andthe virtual DC power signals are configured for powering the secondcomponent during the secondary power transmission.

In yet a further refinement, the second component is a control deviceconfigured for controlling, at least, one or more functions of thesecond component.

In yet a further refinement, the secondary power transmission of thevirtual DC power signals is configured to power the control deviceduring a start up sequence for the electronic device.

In accordance with another aspect of the disclosure, a wireless powerreceiver system is disclosed. The wireless power receiver systemincludes a first receiver antenna, a second receiver antenna, a firstreceiver power conditioning system, and a second receiver powerconditioning system. The first receiver antenna is configured to couplewith a first transmission antenna and receive virtual AC power signalsfrom the first transmission antenna, the first receiver antennaoperating based on a first operating frequency, the virtual AC powersignals based on the first operating frequency, a virtual AC powerfrequency, a slot length, and a slot timing. The second receiver antennais configured to couple with a second transmission antenna and receivevirtual DC power signals from the second transmitter antenna, the secondreceiver antenna operating based on a second operating frequency, thevirtual DC power signals configured to be received when the firstreceiver antenna is not receiving meaningful electrical energy, whereinthe virtual DC power signals are configured to carry in-band datasignals. The first receiver power conditioning system is configured to(i) receive the virtual AC power signals, (ii) convert the virtual ACpower signals to alternating current (AC) received power signals, and(iii) provide the AC received power signals to a first load. The secondreceiver power conditioning system is configured to (i) receive thevirtual DC power signals, (ii) convert the virtual DC power signals toDC received power signals, and (iii) provide the DC received powersignals to a second load.

In a refinement, the system further includes a receiver controllerconfigured to encode the in-band data signals carried by the virtual DCpower signals.

In a refinement, the system further includes a receiver controllerconfigured to decode the in-band data signals carried by the virtual DCpower signals.

In accordance with yet another aspect of the disclosure, a wirelesspower transfer system is disclosed. The wireless power transmissionsystem includes a wireless power transmission system and a wirelesspower receiver system. The wireless power transmission system includes atransmission antenna, a transmission communications system, atransmission controller, and a transmission power conditioning system.The transmission antenna is configured to couple with a receiver antennaand transmit virtual AC power signals to the receiver antenna. Thetransmission communications system is configured to communicate with awireless receiver system. The transmission controller is configured todetermine a driving signal for driving the transmission antenna based onan operating frequency, a virtual AC power frequency, a slot length, anda slot timing, wherein the slot length and slot timing are configuredsuch that the communications system can send or receive data within aslot based on the slot length and slot timing. The transmission powerconditioning system includes at least one transistor that is configuredto receive the driving signal, at a gate of the at least one transistor,and to receive an input power signal to generate the virtual AC powersignals at the operating frequency and having peak voltages rising andfalling based on the virtual AC power frequency. The wireless powerreceiver system includes the receiver antenna, a receiver communicationssystem, and a receiver power conditioning system. The receiver antennais configured for coupling with the transmission antenna and receivingthe virtual AC power signals from the transmission antenna, the receiverantenna operating based on the operating frequency. The receivercommunications system is configured to communicate with the wirelesspower transmission system by sending or receiving data during the slot.The receiver power conditioning system is configured to (i) receive thevirtual AC power signals, (ii) convert the virtual AC power signals toalternating current (AC) received power signals, and (iii) provide theAC input power signals to a load.

These and other aspects and features of the present disclosure will bebetter understood when read in conjunction with the accompanyingdrawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an embodiment of a system for wirelesslytransferring one or more of electrical energy, electrical power signals,electrical power, electromagnetic energy, electronic data, andcombinations thereof, in accordance with the present disclosure.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating components of a wirelesstransmission system of the system of FIG. 1 and a wireless receiversystem of the system of FIG. 1 , in accordance with FIG. 1 and thepresent disclosure.

FIG. 3A is three plots of example signals that may travel throughvirtual AC power signal components of the wireless power transfersystem, from an input stage to an ultimate output stage, in accordancewith FIGS. 1-2 and the present disclosure.

FIG. 3B is three plots of example signals that may travel throughvirtual DC power signal components of the wireless power transfersystem, from an input stage to an ultimate output stage, in accordancewith FIGS. 1-2 and the present disclosure.

FIG. 3C is example timing diagrams, in synchronization, showing slottedcommunications utilizing the virtual DC power signals for datacommunications within a slot in the virtual AC power signals, inaccordance with FIGS. 1-3B and the present disclosure.

FIG. 4A is a block diagram illustrating components of a transmissioncontrol system of the wireless transmission system of FIG. 2 , inaccordance with FIG. 1-3B and the present disclosure.

FIG. 4B is an alternative block diagram illustrating components of atransmission control system of the wireless transmission system of FIG.2 , in accordance with FIGS. 1-4A and the present disclosure.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram illustrating components of a sensing system ofthe transmission control system of FIG. 4 , in accordance with FIGS.1-4B and the present disclosure.

FIG. 6 is a block diagram illustrating components of a powerconditioning system of the wireless transmission system of FIG. 2 , inaccordance with FIG. 1 , FIG. 2 , and the present disclosure.

FIG. 7 is a block diagram of elements of the wireless transmissionsystem of FIGS. 1-6 , further illustrating components of an amplifier ofthe power conditioning system of FIG. 6 and signal characteristics forwireless power transmission, in accordance with FIGS. 1-6 and thepresent disclosure.

FIG. 8 is an electrical schematic diagram of elements of the wirelesstransmission system of FIGS. 1-7 , further illustrating components of anamplifier of a power conditioning system of FIGS. 5-7 , in accordancewith FIGS. 1-7 and the present disclosure.

FIG. 9 is an exemplary plot illustrating rise and fall of “on” and “off”conditions when a signal has in-band communications via on-off keying.

FIG. 10A is a block diagram illustrating components of a receivercontrol system and a receiver power conditioning system of the wirelessreceiver system of FIG. 2 , in accordance with FIG. 1 , FIG. 2 , and thepresent disclosure.

FIG. 10B is another block diagram illustrating components of a receivercontrol system and a receiver power conditioning system of the wirelessreceiver system of FIG. 2 , in accordance with FIG. 1 , FIG. 2 , and thepresent disclosure.

FIG. 11 is a block diagram of elements of a wireless receiver system ofFIGS. 1-2 and 10 , further illustrating components of an amplifier ofthe power conditioning system of FIG. 10 and signal characteristics forwireless power transmission, in accordance with FIGS. 1-2, 10 , and thepresent disclosure.

FIG. 12 is an electrical schematic diagram of elements of the wirelessreceiver system of FIG. 11 , further illustrating components of anamplifier of the power conditioning system of FIGS. 10-11 , inaccordance with FIGS. 1-2, 10-11 and the present disclosure.

FIG. 13A is a top view of a non-limiting, exemplary antenna, for use asone or both of a transmission antenna and a receiver antenna of thesystem of FIGS. 1-8, 9-12 and/or any other systems, methods, orapparatus disclosed herein, in accordance with the present disclosure.

FIG. 13B is a top view of another non-limiting, exemplary antenna, foruse as one or both of a transmission antenna and a receiver antenna ofthe system of FIGS. 1-8, 9-12 and/or any other systems, methods, orapparatus disclosed herein, in accordance with the present disclosure.

While the following detailed description will be given with respect tocertain illustrative embodiments, it should be understood that thedrawings are not necessarily to scale and the disclosed embodiments aresometimes illustrated diagrammatically and in partial views. Inaddition, in certain instances, details which are not necessary for anunderstanding of the disclosed subject matter or which render otherdetails too difficult to perceive may have been omitted. It shouldtherefore be understood that this disclosure is not limited to theparticular embodiments disclosed and illustrated herein, but rather to afair reading of the entire disclosure and claims, as well as anyequivalents thereto. Additional, different, or fewer components andmethods may be included in the systems and methods.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

In the following description, numerous specific details are set forth byway of examples in order to provide a thorough understanding of therelevant teachings. However, it should be apparent to those skilled inthe art that the present teachings may be practiced without suchdetails. In other instances, well known methods, procedures, components,and/or circuitry have been described at a relatively high-level, withoutdetail, in order to avoid unnecessarily obscuring aspects of the presentteachings.

Referring now to the drawings and with specific reference to FIG. 1 , awireless power transfer system 10 is illustrated. The wireless powertransfer system 10 provides for the wireless transmission of electricalsignals, such as, but not limited to, electrical energy, electricalpower, electrical power signals, electromagnetic energy, andelectronically transmittable data (“electronic data”). As used herein,the term “electrical power signal” or “power signal” refers to anelectrical signal transmitted specifically to provide meaningfulelectrical energy for charging and/or directly powering a load, whereasthe term “electronic data signal” or “data signal” refers to anelectrical signal that is utilized to convey data across a medium.“Alternating current (AC) wireless signals,” as defined herein, refer toan AC signal either used to drive an antenna, either by circuitry (e.g.,an amplifier) or by induction via another antenna, which may include oneor both of wireless power signals and wireless data signals. A “wirelesspower signal,” be it an AC or DC wireless power signal, is a powersignal configured to provide meaningful electrical energy for chargingand/or directly powering a load, wherein the wireless power signal isgenerated by magnetic induction based on AC wireless signals.

The wireless power transfer system 10 provides for the wirelesstransmission of electrical signals via near field magnetic coupling. Asshown in the embodiment of FIG. 1 , the wireless power transfer system10 includes a wireless transmission system 20 and a wireless receiversystem 30. The wireless receiver system is configured to receiveelectrical signals from, at least, the wireless transmission system 20.In some examples, such as examples wherein the wireless power transfersystem is configured for wireless power transfer via the Near FieldCommunications Direct Charge (NFC-DC) or Near Field CommunicationsWireless Charging (NFC WC) draft or accepted standard, the wirelesstransmission system 20 may be referenced as a “listener” of the NFC-DCwireless transfer system 20 and the wireless receiver system 30 may bereferenced as a “poller” of the NFC-DC wireless transfer system.

As illustrated, the wireless transmission system 20 and wirelessreceiver system 30 may be configured to transmit electrical signalsacross, at least, one or more a separation distances or gaps 17. Aseparation distance or gap, such as the gaps 17, in the context of awireless power transfer system, such as the system 10, does not includea physical connection, such as a wired connection. There may beintermediary objects located in a separation distance or gap, such as,but not limited to, air, a counter top, a casing for an electronicdevice, a plastic filament, an insulator, a mechanical wall, among otherthings; however, there is no physical, electrical connection at such aseparation distance or gap.

Thus, the combination of the wireless transmission system 20 and thewireless receiver system 30 create an electrical connection without theneed for a physical connection. As used herein, the term “electricalconnection” refers to any facilitation of a transfer of an electricalcurrent, voltage, and/or power from a first location, device, component,and/or source to a second location, device, component, and/ordestination. An “electrical connection” may be a physical connection,such as, but not limited to, a wire, a trace, a via, among otherphysical electrical connections, connecting a first location, device,component, and/or source to a second location, device, component, and/ordestination. Additionally or alternatively, an “electrical connection”may be a wireless power and/or data transfer, such as, but not limitedto, magnetic, electromagnetic, resonant, and/or inductive field, amongother wireless power and/or data transfers, connecting a first location,device, component, and/or source to a second location, device,component, and/or destination.

In some cases, the gap 17 may also be referenced as a “Z-Distance,”because, if one considers an antenna 21, 31 each to be disposedsubstantially along respective common X-Y planes, then the distanceseparating the antennas 21, 31 is the gap in a “Z” or “depth” direction.However, flexible and/or non-planar coils are certainly contemplated byembodiments of the present disclosure and, thus, it is contemplated thatthe gap 17 may not be uniform, across an envelope of connectiondistances between the antennas 21, 31. It is contemplated that varioustunings, configurations, and/or other parameters may alter the possiblemaximum distance of the gap 17, such that electrical transmission fromthe wireless transmission system 20 to the wireless receiver system 30remains possible.

The wireless power transfer system 10 operates when antennas of thewireless transmission system 20 and the wireless receiver system 30 arecoupled. As used herein, the terms “couples,” “coupled,” and “coupling”generally refer to magnetic field coupling, which occurs when atransmitter and/or any components thereof and a receiver and/or anycomponents thereof are coupled to each other through a magnetic field.Such coupling may include coupling, represented by a couplingcoefficient (k), that is at least sufficient for an induced electricalpower signal, from a transmitter, to be harnessed by a receiver.Coupling of the wireless transmission system 20 and the wirelessreceiver system 30, in the system 10, may be represented by a resonantcoupling coefficient of the system 10 and, for the purposes of wirelesspower transfer, the coupling coefficient for the system 10 may be in therange of about 0.01 and 0.9.

As illustrated, the wireless transmission system 20 may be associatedwith a host device 11, which may receive power from an input powersource 12. The host device 11 may be any electrically operated device,circuit board, electronic assembly, dedicated charging device, or anyother contemplated electronic device. Example host devices 11, withwhich the wireless transmission system 20 may be associated therewith,include, but are not limited to including, a device that includes anintegrated circuit, a tabletop wireless power transmitter, acounter-integrated wireless power transmitter, an integrated wirelesspower transmitter for powering kitchen appliances, cases for wearableelectronic devices, receptacles for electronic devices, a portablecomputing device, clothing configured with electronics, storage mediumfor electronic devices, charging apparatus for one or multipleelectronic devices, dedicated electrical charging devices, activity orsport related equipment, goods, and/or data collection devices, amongother contemplated electronic devices.

As illustrated, one or both of the wireless transmission system 20 andthe host device 11 are operatively associated with an input power source12. The input power source 12 may be or may include one or moreelectrical storage devices, such as an electrochemical cell, a batterypack, and/or a capacitor, among other storage devices. Additionally oralternatively, the input power source 12 may be any electrical inputsource (e.g., any alternating current (AC) or direct current (DC)delivery port) and may include connection apparatus from said electricalinput source to the wireless transmission system 20 (e.g., transformers,regulators, conductive conduits, traces, wires, or equipment, goods,computer, camera, mobile phone, and/or other electrical deviceconnection ports and/or adaptors, such as but not limited to USB portsand/or adaptors, among other contemplated electrical components).

Electrical energy received by the wireless transmission system 20 isthen used for at least two purposes: to provide electrical power tointernal components of the wireless transmission system 20 and toprovide electrical power to the transmitter antennas 21. The transmitterantennas 21 are configured to wirelessly transmit the electrical signalsconditioned and modified for wireless transmission by the wirelesstransmission system 20 via near-field magnetic coupling (NFMC).Near-field magnetic coupling enables the transfer of signals wirelesslythrough magnetic induction between the transmitter antennas 21 and arespective receiving antenna 31 of, or associated with, the wirelessreceiver system 30. Near-field magnetic coupling may be and/or bereferred to as “inductive coupling,” which, as used herein, is awireless power transmission technique that utilizes an alternatingelectromagnetic field to transfer electrical energy between twoantennas. Such inductive coupling is the near field wirelesstransmission of magnetic energy between two magnetically coupled coilsthat are tuned to resonate at a similar frequency. Accordingly, suchnear-field magnetic coupling may enable efficient wireless powertransmission via resonant transmission of confined magnetic fields.Further, such near-field magnetic coupling may provide connection via“mutual inductance,” which, as defined herein is the production of anelectromotive force in a circuit by a change in current in a secondcircuit magnetically coupled to the first.

In one or more embodiments, the inductor coils of either the transmitterantennas 21 or the receiver antennas 31 are strategically positioned tofacilitate reception and/or transmission of wirelessly transferredelectrical signals through near field magnetic induction. In someexamples, antenna operating frequencies may be in a low frequency rangeof operation, meaning operating frequencies in a range of about 1 kHz toabout 1 MHz (e.g., 85-205 kHz operating frequencies for the Qi standard,operating frequencies in a range of about 20 kHz to about 100 kHz forhigher than Qi power applications). Additionally or alternatively,antenna operating frequencies may comprise relatively high operatingfrequency ranges, examples of which may include, but are not limited to,6.78 MHz (e.g., in accordance with the Rezence and/or Airfuel interfacestandard and/or any other proprietary interface standard operating at afrequency of 6.78 MHz), 13.56 MHz (e.g., in accordance with the NFCstandard, defined by ISO/IEC standard 18092), 27 MHz, and/or anoperating frequency of another proprietary operating mode. The operatingfrequencies of the antennas 21, 31 may be operating frequenciesdesignated by the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) in theIndustrial, Scientific, and Medical (ISM) frequency bands, including notlimited to 6.78 MHz, 13.56 MHz, and 27 MHz, which are designated for usein wireless power transfer. In systems wherein the wireless powertransfer system 10 is operating within the NFC-DC standards and/or draftstandards, the operating frequency may be in a range of about 13.553 MHzto about 13.567 MHz.

As known to those skilled in the art, a “resonant frequency” or“resonant frequency band” refers a frequency or frequencies whereinamplitude response of the antenna is at a relative maximum, or,additionally or alternatively, the frequency or frequency band where thecapacitive reactance has a magnitude substantially similar to themagnitude of the inductive reactance. In one or more embodiments, thetransmitting antenna resonant frequency is at a high frequency, as knownto those in the art of wireless power transfer.

The wireless receiver system 30 may be associated with at least oneelectronic device 14, wherein the electronic device 14 may be any devicethat requires electrical power for any function and/or for power storage(e.g., via a battery and/or capacitor). Additionally, the electronicdevice 14 may be any device capable of receipt of electronicallytransmissible data. For example, the device may be, but is not limitedto being, a handheld computing device, a mobile device, a portableappliance, an integrated circuit, an identifiable tag, a kitchen utilitydevice, a kitchen appliance, an electronic tool, an electric vehicle, agame console, a robotic device, a wearable electronic device (e.g., anelectronic watch, electronically modified glasses, altered-reality (AR)glasses, virtual reality (VR) glasses, among other things), a portablescanning device, a portable identifying device, a sporting good, anembedded sensor, an Internet of Things (IoT) sensor, IoT enabledclothing, IoT enabled recreational equipment, industrial equipment,medical equipment, a medical device a tablet computing device, aportable control device, a remote controller for an electronic device, agaming controller, among other things.

For the purposes of illustrating the features and characteristics of thedisclosed embodiments, arrow-ended lines are utilized to illustratetransferrable and/or communicative signals and various patterns are usedto illustrate electrical signals that are intended for powertransmission and electrical signals that are intended for thetransmission of data (which may include control instructions and/orother forms of data). Solid lines indicate signal transmission ofelectrical energy over a physical and/or wireless medium, in the form ofpower signals that are, ultimately, utilized in wireless powertransmission from the wireless transmission system 20 to the wirelessreceiver system 30. To that end, the thicker solid lines (e.g., asillustrated between the antennas 21A, 31A in FIG. 1 ) indicatetransmission of “virtual AC power signals” between the wirelesstransmission system 20 and the wireless receiver system 30, as will bediscussed in more detail below. Further, dotted lines are utilized toillustrate electronically transmittable data signals, which ultimatelymay be wirelessly transmitted from the wireless transmission system 20to the wireless receiver system 30.

While the systems and methods herein illustrate the transmission ofwirelessly transmitted energy, wireless power signals, wirelesslytransmitted power, wirelessly transmitted electromagnetic energy, and/orelectronically transmittable data, it is certainly contemplated that thesystems, methods, and apparatus disclosed herein may be utilized in thetransmission of only one signal, various combinations of two signals, ormore than two signals and, further, it is contemplated that the systems,method, and apparatus disclosed herein may be utilized for wirelesstransmission of other electrical signals in addition to or uniquely incombination with one or more of the above mentioned signals. In someexamples, the signal paths of solid or dotted lines may represent afunctional signal path, whereas, in practical application, the actualsignal is routed through additional components en route to its indicateddestination. For example, it may be indicated that a data signal routesfrom a communications apparatus to another communications apparatus;however, in practical application, the data signal may be routed throughan amplifier, then through a transmission antenna, to a receiverantenna, where, on the receiver end, the data signal is decoded by arespective communications device of the receiver.

Turning now to FIG. 2 , the wireless connection system 10 is illustratedas a block diagram including example components and/or subsystems ofboth the wireless transmission system 20 and the wireless receiversystem 30. In the illustrated embodiment, the wireless transmissionsystem includes a first transmission subsystem 120A and a secondtransmission subsystem 120B, along with a transmission control system26. Similarly, the wireless receiver system may include a first receiversubsystem 130A and a second receiver subsystem 130B. The transmissionsubsystems 120 may include like or similar components, bearing similarreference numbers, but are generally configured for transmittingdifferent types of electrical signals and/or wireless power signals.Similarly, the receiver subsystems 130 may include like or similarcomponents, bearing similar reference numbers, but are generallyconfigured for receiving different types of electrical signals and/orwireless power signals.

An “AC power signal,” as defined herein, is a wireless power signal thatsimulates the alternating voltage characteristics of an AC power signal,such as a current or power signal that is drawn from a traditional poweroutlet, such as a common wall outlet. A traditional power outlet may beany power outlet, from any standards body or national/localstandardization, that draws electrical power from a power deliverymechanism (e.g., a power grid, a power plant, a personal generator,solar panels, a local battery power storage, among other contemplatedpower sources). Such traditional power outlets may output currents orpower signals having maximum voltages in a range of about 100 V to about240 V, maximum current levels or ratings in a range of about 8 Amperes(Amps) to about 20 Amps, power levels in a maximum wattage of about 1.5kW to about 5 kW, and AC signal frequencies in a range of about 50 Hz toabout 60 Hz.

As wireless power signals are generated from AC wireless signals(typically alternating at a much higher frequency than the power signalof a traditional power outlet), a wireless power signal that is avirtual AC power signal may have a periodically varying peak voltage (atthe positive and negative peaks). Such varying peak voltages rise andfall in accordance with a “virtual AC power frequency.” In other words,the voltage of the virtual AC power signal periodically rises and fallsbased on the magnitude of the operating frequency, whereas peak voltagesrise and fall in accordance with the magnitude of the virtual AC powerfrequency. A virtual AC power frequency is the frequency at which avirtual AC power signal rises and falls, such that the virtual AC powerfrequency is configured to simulate a frequency of the alternatingcurrent of AC power signals generated from a power outlet. For example,if the wireless transmission system 20 intends to simulate an AC powersignal, of a power outlet, that has a frequency of about 50 Hz, then acorresponding virtual AC power signal transmitted by the wirelesstransmission system 20 may have a virtual AC power frequency of about 50Hz.

Turning to FIG. 3A, three timing plots are illustrated for three signalsthat may be associated with the first subsystem 120A of the wirelesstransmission system 20. The top plot is of an example of a power signalproduced by a physically connected wall outlet, such as a wall powersignal (V_(WALL)) input to the host device 11 and/or the wireless powertransmission system 20 from the input power source 12, as an input powersignal to the host device. As illustrated, V_(WALL) is a substantiallyperiodic and, in this example sinusoidal, AC wave with its voltagerising and falling based on the sinusoidal waveform.

Based on and/or using power from V_(WALL) or, alternatively, any otherDC or AC power input to the wireless power transmission system and/or afirst power conditioning system 40A, the wireless power transmissionsystem 20 may ultimately generate a virtual AC power signal (V_(vAC_Tx))for transmission via the transmission antenna 21A. For further visualexplanation of the virtual AC power signal (V_(vAC_Tx)), as isillustrated in the middle plot of FIG. 3A, the rising of peak voltages122A-N, for any number “N” of periods for the signal, and falling ofpeak negative voltages 123A-N, for the number “N” of periods for thesignal, rise and fall with a substantially sinusoidal curve 125, whereinsaid sinusoidal curve 125 may be based, at least in part, on a real wallsignal (e.g., V_(WALL)), from which the virtual AC power signal isbased.

Virtual AC power signals may be considered to include two ACcomponents—one AC component having the aforementioned operatingfrequency for wireless power transmission and another AC componenthaving a virtual AC power frequency. As described herein, in exampleswherein a virtual AC power signal is designed to virtualize atraditionalwall outlet, the virtual AC power frequency, for such avirtual AC power signal, may be about 50 Hz or about 60 Hz. As thevirtual AC power signal's virtual AC power frequency governs the rate atwhich a maximum for the peak volutage of the virtual AC power signalrises and falls, wherein each peak voltage is generated at the operatingfrequency, the virtual AC power frequency is necessarily less than theoperating frequency.

As illustrated in the middle plot of FIG. 3A, the operating frequencycomponents of the signal are illustrated in solid lines and the virtualAC power frequency components of the signal are illustrated as thedotted lines or, for example, the substantially sinusoidal curve 125. Asillustrated, the magnitude of the operating frequency is much largerthan that of the frequency of the substantially sinusoidal curve 125. Asillustrated, a mirror of the curve 125 is illustrated corresponding withthe peak negative voltages 125, having a substantially similar wave formas the curve 125, but for negative voltages; this is illustrated totrack rise and fall of the negative voltages 123A-N and is not intendedto simulate a wave form or curve. While not illustrated to the scale ofa real relationship between an operating frequency and a virtual ACpower frequency, it is shown wherein the virtual AC power frequency isless than the operating frequency and said frequencies may be in anyrange suitable for a given system. In some examples, the virtual ACpower frequency may be in a range of about 50 to about 60 Hz, comparableto traditional wall power signal frequencies, like the illustratedfrequency of the sinusoid of V_(WALL). In some such examples, theoperating frequency for the virtual AC power signal may be in a range ofabout 20 kHz to about 150 kHz.

As illustrated, the plot for V_(vAC_Rx) may be substantially similar, inshape, to the waveform of the curve 125, while having a lower maximumpeak voltage (V_(RMS)), when compared to the positive maximum peakvoltage (±V_(peak)) of the curve 125. Thus, V_(vAC_Rx) is a receivedV_(vAC_Tx), but rectified, by the wireless receiver system 30 and, thus,eliminating the operating frequency AC component of V_(vACTx), Thus,V_(vAC_Rx) may represent a series of root-means square (RMS) averagevoltages, sampled at a consistent rate, output by the rectifier, whereineach period of the curve has a peak RMS voltage (V_(RMS)) at the top ofeach period of the curve of V_(vAC_Rx). As V_(vAC_Rx) is based onV_(vAC_TX), but rectified, and V_(vAC_Tx) has negative voltagecomponents, V_(RMS) will be less than +V_(peak) and, thus, V_(vAC_Rx)appears as a scaled version of the curve 125.

Referring back to FIG. 2 , the first transmission subsystem 120A isshown to include, at least, a power conditioning system 40A, atransmission tuning system 24A, and the transmission antenna 21A. Thefirst transmission subsystem 120A is configured to determine, prepare,generate, and/or transmit a virtual AC power signal. In other words, thefirst transmission subsystem 120A is configured to generate a wirelesspower signal that is utilized by the wireless receiver system 30 topower a device with said power signal simulating characteristics ofwired power signals that are output by any rtraditional wall poweroutlet (e.g., a wall outlet having any of various different voltage andcurrent ratings, shapes, sizes and/or connector types that may commonlybe used for wall outlets). Thus, the resultant virtual AC power signalreceived at the wireless receiver system 30 may simulate characteristicsof standard wired and/or physically-contact-based wall power signals.

Turning now to FIG. 3B, five signals are illustrated in timing diagrams.The signals herein are generated, determined, prepared, tuned, and/oroutput by the second transmission subsystem 120B. The secondtransmission subsystem 120B may be configured to transfer one or both ofa wireless power signal and a wireless data signal. The signalstransmitted by the first transmission subsystem 120A are substantiallyconstant periodic wireless power signals, with a constant peak voltage;however, such a constant peak voltage is subject to variance due tochanges in a desired output voltage to the receiver system 30 and/orperturbations made in the signal for in-band communications signals(Data) encoded into the wireless power signals. On the other hand, thewireless power signals transferred by the second transmission subsystem120B may be considered virtual DC power signals, as the resultant signalat the rectifier of the wireless receiver system 30 is a substantiallyconstant DC power signal, with given changes in the consistent peakvoltage due to voltage or current change requests and/or perturbationscaused by the encoding of in-band communications signals.

In FIG. 3B, the top signal illustrated is V_(DC_in), which may be anyinput DC signal of the wireless transmission, such as a DC input via theinput power source 12, a DC input generated at the second powerconditioning system 40B and/or the voltage regulator 46 thereof, amongother example DC power sources. In the second from the top plot, avirtual DC wireless power signal (V_(vDC_Tx)) is illustrated having aconstant operating frequency for a substantially sinusoidal wave form,which has a substantially consistent peak voltage (+V_(peak)) and peaknegative voltage (−V_(peak)). V_(vDC_Tx) consistently oscillates between+V_(peak) and −V_(peak), at the operating frequency, wherein V_(peak)may be altered to change the power output to the wireless receiversystem 30. The third plot from the top illustrates V_(DC_Rx), which isthe resultant output DC power signal of the wireless receiver system,based on V_(vDC_Tx) and processed at, for example, a rectifier of thewireless receiver system 30. As such, V_(DC_Rx) has a relativelyconsistent voltage, inherent to a DC power signal.

The fourth plot from the top of FIG. 3B illustrates V_(vDC_Tx) again,but with perturbations in the signal, which may be encoded by one orboth of the wireless transmission system 20 or the wireless transmissionsystem 30 as in-band communications signals (Data), which will bediscussed in greater detail below. Accordingly, when the peak voltage ofV_(vDC_Tx) is raised and lowered slightly to encode Data, the resultantDC output of the wireless receiver system 30 may show similarperturbations in its actual DC power output. While the illustrations ofV_(vDC_Tx)+Data shows an amplitude shift keyed signal (ASK), it iscertainly contemplated, and discussed below, that Data may be encodedusing other in-band encoding, such as, but not limited to, on off keying(OOK).

The second transmission subsystem 120B includes, at least, a secondpower conditioning system 40B, a second transmission tuning system 24B,and the transmission antenna 21B. The second transmission subsystem 120Bis configured to determine, prepare, generate, and/or transmit thevirtual DC power signal. In other words, the second transmissionsubsystem 120B is configured to generate a wireless power signal and/ordata signal that is utilized by the wireless receiver system 30 to powera device with said power signal simulating characteristics of wirelesspower signals that are output by a DC power source, such as a poweradapter, a power port (e.g. a USB port, a Lightning port, among otherports), and/or a connected battery. Thus, the received virtual DC powersignal received at the wireless receiver system 30 may simulatecharacteristics of standard wired and/or physically-contact-based DCpower signals.

Turning now to FIG. 3C, timing diagrams are illustrated for wirelesspower signals (V_(vWall_Tx) and V_(vDC_Tx)+Data) emitted by the firstand second subsystems 120A,B, on a common timescale. In other words,V_(vAC_Tx) and V_(vDC_Tx)+Data are illustrated during a concurrentperiod of time. The top plot illustrates the virtual AC power signalsemitted by the first subsystem 120A and the bottom plot illustrates thevirtual DC power signals emitted by the second subsystem 120B. Acombination of the illustrated plots of FIG. 3C shows operation of aslotted communications system, method, and/or protocol.

In such a slotted communications system, method, and/or protocol,transmission V_(vACTx) is configured to stop for a slot of time having aslot length (t_(Slot)) during wireless power transmission, then resumetransmission at the end of t_(Slot). The positioning, within the ACwireless power signals, of the slots of t_(Slot) may be based on adetermined slot timing for the slots of tSlot. The slot timing may bedetermined as a suitable amount of time suitable for transmission ofmeaningful electrical energy, via the AC wireless power signals, priorto halting transmission, for t_(Slot), to transmit one or bothV_(vDC_Tx) and Data.

A slot of length t_(Slot) may occur after any number “N” of periods ofcycles V_(vAC_Tx) to define an “on time” for V_(vAC_Tx), between twoslots of length t_(Slot). This “on time” may be defined as an “AC-ontime” (t_(ACOn)), which is a continuous time at which the subsystem 120Ais transmitting a portion of a virtual AC wireless signal. Thus, ift_(ACOn) is a duration defined by a desired number “N” of cycles of aperiod (T_(vAC)) of V_(vDC_Tx), at the virtual AC power frequency(f_(vAC)), then, as a period is the inverse of frequency,t _(ACOn) =N*T _(vAC),and, thus,

$t_{ACOn} = {N*{\left( \frac{1}{f_{vAC}} \right).}}$

A slot of length t_(Slot) may be timed to occur at a virtual zero-crossof V_(vAC_Tx) and restarted, after t_(Slot) has passed from said virtualzero-cross. In other words, when the peak voltage of virtual AC powersignal reaches its lowest or near-zero absolute magnitude (e.g., about 0V), t_(Slot) may occur. “Virtual zero-cross,” as defined herein, refersto a moment in signal transmission of a virtual AC power signal, thatsimulates an actual zero-cross of a wall AC signal, wherein an actualzero-cross is the moment in signal transmission where its voltage isequal to 0 V.

During one or more slots of length t_(Slot), the second subsystem 120Bmay be configured to transmit, at least, a data signal and, in someexamples, transmit some meaningful electrical energy as a virtual DCpower signal with in-band communications. Thus, communications over thesystem 10 may occur intermittently during recurrences of t_(Slot), byencoding the in-band signals by one or both of the wireless transmissionsystem 20 and the wireless receiver system 30. Such communications int_(Slot) or, in other words, “slotted communications,” may be utilizedto avoid interference between the virtual AC power signals and thevirtual DC power signals. Additionally or alternatively, such slottedcommunications may be utilized to avoid malfunction or operationalmaladies to one or more of the second subsystem 120B, the transmissioncontrol system 26, and/or the wireless receiver system 30, duringtransmission by the first subsystem 120A.

In some examples, the virtual DC power signals may be utilized to poweron or otherwise provide wireless power to the electronic device 14, whenthe virtual AC power signals are not being transmitted, as illustratedin FIG. 3C at the DC power signal on time (T_(DCon)). The portion ofV_(vDC_Tx) that powers the electronic device 14, prior to thetransmission of V_(vAC_Tx), during t_(DCon), may be a secondary powertransmitter providing a secondary power transmission to the electronicdevice. DC power signal transmission during non-transmission of thevirtual AC power signals may be utilized to provide meaningfulelectrical energy to components of the electronic device 14, whereinsuch components may require lower power input than the components thatare powered, at least in part, by the virtual AC power signals.

For example, consider that the electronic device 14 is an appliance thatincludes a motor that is powered by the virtual AC power signals and acontrol system for, at least, the motor. The electronic device 14 mayreceive the lower power virtual DC power signal from the secondsubsystem 120B, when the virtual AC power signal is not transmitted, anduse the meaningful electrical energy of the virtual DC power signal topower the control system. Then, in some such examples, the controlsystem of the electronic device 14 may control operations of the motorof the electronic device 14 and communicate to the wireless transmissionsystem 20 (e.g., by encoding communications in the virtual DC powersignals via the wireless receiver system 30). During suchcommunications, the electronic device 14 and/or control system thereofmay instruct the wireless transmission system 20 to begin transmissionof virtual AC power signals, wherein such controls/communications areenabled, at least in part, by the input power of the virtual DC powersignal.

Note that the frequencies of the signals illustrated in the timingdiagrams of FIGS. 3A-C are not to the scale of exemplary, real-lifesignals used in wireless power transfer and/or data transfer systems andthe illustrated signals are, most likely, illustrated as lowerfrequencies than would be utilized in real life. Such lower frequenciesare only illustrated as lower magnitude, so that the reader of theinstant application can view the substantially sinusoidal shape, therising and falling peaks of virtual AC signals, and/or the relativescales of system frequencies, as they relate to one another (e.g.,wherein operating frequency of the virtual DC power signal is greaterthan the operating frequency of the virtual AC power signal, both ofwhich are greater than the virtual AC power frequency).

Further, one or more of the characteristics of the signals of FIGS. 3A-Cmay be encoded, decoded, determined, and/or configured by one or more ofthe disclosed controller(s) 28, 38. As will be discussed in more detailbelow, such characteristics may be used by the controller(s) 28 indetermining and/or providing a driving signal, for provision to thepower conditioning system(s) 40, for driving the antenna 21.

Returning now to FIG. 2 , a first portion of the electrical energy inputfrom the input power source 12 is configured to electrically powercomponents of the wireless transmission system 20 such as, but notlimited to, the transmission control system 26. A second portion of theelectrical energy input from the input power source 12 is conditionedand/or modified for wireless power transmission, to the wirelessreceiver system 30, via the transmission antennas 21. Accordingly, thesecond portion of the input energy is modified and/or conditioned by thepower conditioning systems 40. While not illustrated, it is certainlycontemplated that one or both of the first and second portions of theinput electrical energy may be modified, conditioned, altered, and/orotherwise changed prior to receipt by the power conditioning systems 40and/or transmission control system 26, by further contemplatedsubsystems (e.g., a voltage regulator, a current regulator, switchingsystems, fault systems, safety regulators, among other things).

Referring now to FIG. 4 , with continued reference to FIGS. 1-3 ,subcomponents and/or systems of the transmission control system 26 areillustrated. The transmission control system 26 may include sensingsystem(s) 50, transmission controller(s) 28, a communications system 29,drivers 48A, B, and memory 27. FIG. 4A illustrates an example for thewireless transmission system 28A, wherein both of the subsystems 120A, Bare controlled by a common transmission controller 28 and are bothinfluenced and/or monitored by a common sensing system 50. However, asillustrated in FIG. 4B, it is certainly contemplated that thetransmission control system 26 includes multiple transmissioncontrollers 28A, B, each for, respectively, controlling subsystems 120A,120B. Further still, as illustrated in FIG. 4B, it is certainlycontemplated that the transmission control system 26 includes multiplesensing system 50A, B, for independently monitoring, respectively, thesubsystems 120A, B.

The transmission controller(s) 28 may be any electronic controller orcomputing system that includes, at least, a processor which performsoperations, executes control algorithms, stores data, retrieves data,gathers data, controls and/or provides communication with othercomponents and/or subsystems associated with the wireless transmissionsystem 20, and/or performs any other computing or controlling taskdesired. The transmission controller(s) 28 may be a single controller ormay include more than one controller disposed to control variousfunctions and/or features of the wireless transmission system 20.Functionality of the transmission controller(s) 28 may be implemented inhardware and/or software and may rely on one or more data maps relatingto the operation of the wireless transmission system 20. To that end,the transmission controller(s) 28 may be operatively associated with thememory 27. The memory may include one or more of internal memory,external memory, and/or remote memory (e.g., a database and/or serveroperatively connected to the transmission controller(s) 28 via anetwork, such as, but not limited to, the Internet). The internal memoryand/or external memory may include, but are not limited to including,one or more of a read only memory (ROM), including programmableread-only memory (PROM), erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROMor sometimes but rarely labelled EROM), electrically erasableprogrammable read-only memory (EEPROM), random access memory (RAM),including dynamic RAM (DRAM), static RAM (SRAM), synchronous dynamic RAM(SDRAM), single data rate synchronous dynamic RAM (SDR SDRAM), doubledata rate synchronous dynamic RAM (DDR SDRAM, DDR2, DDR3, DDR4), andgraphics double data rate synchronous dynamic RAM (GDDR SDRAM, GDDR2,GDDR3, GDDR4, GDDR5, a flash memory, a portable memory, and the like.Such memory media are examples of nontransitory machine readable and/orcomputer readable memory media.

While particular elements of the transmission control system 26 areillustrated as independent components and/or circuits (e.g., thedriver(s) 48, the memory 27, the communications system 29, the sensingsystem 50, among other contemplated elements) of the transmissioncontrol system 26, such components may be integrated with thetransmission controller(s) 28. In some examples, the transmissioncontroller 28 may be an integrated circuit configured to includefunctional elements of one or both of the transmission controller 28 andthe wireless transmission system 20, generally.

As illustrated, the transmission controller(s) 28 is in operativeassociation, for the purposes of data transmission, receipt, and/orcommunication, with, at least, the memory 27, the communications system29, the power conditioning system(s) 40, the driver(s) 48, and thesensing system 50. The drivers 48 may be implemented to control, atleast in part, the operation of the power conditioning system 40. Insome examples, the driver 48 may receive instructions from thetransmission controller 28 to generate and/or output a generated pulsewidth modulation (PWM) signal to the power conditioning system 40. Insome such examples, the PWM signal may be configured to drive the powerconditioning system 40 to output electrical power as an alternatingcurrent signal, having an operating frequency defined by the PWM signal.In some examples, PWM signal may be configured to generate a duty cyclefor the AC power signal output by the power conditioning system 40. Insome such examples, the duty cycle may be configured to be about 50% ofa given period of the AC power signal.

The sensing system(s) 50 may include one or more sensors, wherein eachsensor may be operatively associated with one or more components of thewireless transmission system 20 and configured to provide informationand/or data. The term “sensor” is used in its broadest interpretation todefine one or more components operatively associated with the wirelesstransmission system 20 that operate to sense functions, conditions,electrical characteristics, operations, and/or operating characteristicsof one or more of the wireless transmission system 20, the wirelessreceiving system 30, the input power source 12, the host device 11, thetransmission antennas 21, the receiver antenna 31, along with any othercomponents and/or subcomponents thereof.

As illustrated in the embodiment of FIG. 4 , the sensing system(s) 50may include, but is not limited to including, a thermal sensing system52, an object sensing system 54, a receiver sensing system 56, and/orany other sensor(s) 58. Within these systems, there may exist even morespecific optional additional or alternative sensing systems addressingparticular sensing aspects required by an application, such as, but notlimited to: a condition-based maintenance sensing system, a performanceoptimization sensing system, a state-of-charge sensing system, atemperature management sensing system, a component heating sensingsystem, an IoT sensing system, an energy and/or power management sensingsystem, an impact detection sensing system, an electrical status sensingsystem, a speed detection sensing system, a device health sensingsystem, among others. The object sensing system 54, may be a foreignobject detection (FOD) system.

Each of the thermal sensing system 52, the object sensing system 54, thereceiver sensing system 56 and/or the other sensor(s) 58, including theoptional additional or alternative systems, are operatively and/orcommunicatively connected to the transmission controller 28. The thermalsensing system 52 is configured to monitor ambient and/or componenttemperatures within the wireless transmission system 20 or otherelements nearby the wireless transmission system 20. The thermal sensingsystem 52 may be configured to detect a temperature within the wirelesstransmission system 20 and, if the detected temperature exceeds athreshold temperature, the transmission controller 28 prevents thewireless transmission system 20 from operating. Such a thresholdtemperature may be configured for safety considerations, operationalconsiderations, efficiency considerations, and/or any combinationsthereof. In a non-limiting example, if, via input from the thermalsensing system 52, the transmission controller(s) 28 determines that thetemperature within the wireless transmission system 20 has increasedfrom an acceptable operating temperature to an undesired operatingtemperature (e.g., in a non-limiting example, the internal temperatureincreasing from about 20° Celsius (C) to about 50° C., the transmissioncontroller 28 prevents the operation of the wireless transmission system20 and/or reduces levels of power output from the wireless transmissionsystem 20. In some non-limiting examples, the thermal sensing system 52may include one or more of a thermocouple, a thermistor, a negativetemperature coefficient (NTC) resistor, a resistance temperaturedetector (RTD), and/or any combinations thereof.

As depicted in FIG. 5 , the transmission sensing system 50 may includethe object sensing system 54. The object sensing system 54 may beconfigured to detect one or more of the wireless receiver system 30and/or the receiver antenna 31, thus indicating to the transmissioncontroller 28 that the receiver system 30 is proximate to the wirelesstransmission system 20. Additionally or alternatively, the objectsensing system 54 may be configured to detect presence of unwantedobjects in contact with or proximate to the wireless transmission system20. In some examples, the object sensing system 54 is configured todetect the presence of an undesired object. In some such examples, ifthe transmission controller 28, via information provided by the objectsensing system 54, detects the presence of an undesired object, then thetransmission controller 28 prevents or otherwise modifies operation ofthe wireless transmission system 20. In some examples, the objectsensing system 54 utilizes an impedance change detection scheme, inwhich the transmission controller(s) 28 analyzes a change in electricalimpedance observed by the transmission antenna 20 against a known,acceptable electrical impedance value or range of electrical impedancevalues.

Additionally or alternatively, the object sensing system 54 may utilizea quality factor (Q) change detection scheme, in which the transmissioncontroller 28 analyzes a change from a known quality factor value orrange of quality factor values of the object being detected, such as thereceiver antennas 31. The “quality factor” or “Q” of an inductor can bedefined as (frequency (Hz)×inductance (H))/resistance (ohms), wherefrequency is the operational frequency of the circuit, inductance is theinductance output of the inductor and resistance is the combination ofthe radiative and reactive resistances that are internal to theinductor. “Quality factor,” as defined herein, is generally accepted asan index (figure of measure) that measures the efficiency of anapparatus like an antenna, a circuit, or a resonator. In some examples,the object sensing system 54 may include one or more of an opticalsensor, an electro-optical sensor, a Hall effect sensor, a proximitysensor, and/or any combinations thereof.

The receiver sensing system 56 is any sensor, circuit, and/orcombinations thereof configured to detect presence of any wirelessreceiving system that may be couplable with the wireless transmissionsystem 20. In some examples, the receiver sensing system 56 and theobject sensing system 54 may be combined, may share components, and/ormay be embodied by one or more common components. In some examples, ifthe presence of any such wireless receiving system is detected, wirelesstransmission of electrical energy, electrical power, electromagneticenergy, and/or data by the wireless transmission system 20 to saidwireless receiving system is enabled. In some examples, if the presenceof a wireless receiver system is not detected, continued wirelesstransmission of electrical energy, electrical power, electromagneticenergy, and/or data is prevented from occurring. Accordingly, thereceiver sensing system 56 may include one or more sensors and/or may beoperatively associated with one or more sensors that are configured toanalyze electrical characteristics within an environment of or proximateto the wireless transmission system 20 and, based on the electricalcharacteristics, determine presence of a wireless receiver system 30.

Referring now to FIG. 6 , and with continued reference to FIGS. 1-4 , ablock diagram illustrating an embodiment exemplary of one or both of thepower conditioning systems 40A, B is illustrated. At the powerconditioning system 40, electrical power is received, generally, as a DCor AC power source, via the input power source 12 itself or anintervening power converter, converting an AC source to a DC source (notshown). A voltage regulator 46 receives the electrical power from theinput power source 12 and is configured to provide electrical power fortransmission by the antennas 21 and provide electrical power forpowering components of the wireless transmission system 21. Accordingly,the voltage regulator 46 is configured to convert the receivedelectrical power into at least two electrical power signals, each at aproper voltage for operation of the respective downstream components: afirst electrical power signal to electrically power any components ofthe wireless transmission system 20 and a second portion conditioned andmodified for wireless transmission to the wireless receiver system 30.As illustrated in FIG. 4 , such a first portion is transmitted to, atleast, the sensing system(s) 50, the transmission controller(s) 28, andthe communications system 29; however, the first portion is not limitedto transmission to just these components and can be transmitted to anyelectrical components of the wireless transmission system 20.

The second portion of the electrical power is provided to an amplifier42 of the power conditioning system 40, which is configured to conditionthe electrical power for wireless transmission by the antenna 21. Theamplifier may function as an invertor, which receives an input DC powersignal from the voltage regulator 46 and generates an AC as output,based, at least in part, on PWM input from the transmission controlsystem 26. The amplifier 42 may be or include, for example, a powerstage invertor, such as a dual field effect transistor power stageinvertor or a quadruple field effect transistor power stage invertor.The use of the amplifier 42 within the power conditioning system 40 and,in turn, the wireless transmission system 20 enables wirelesstransmission of electrical signals having much greater amplitudes thanif transmitted without such an amplifier. For example, the addition ofthe amplifier 42 may enable the wireless transmission system 20 totransmit electrical energy as an electrical power signal havingelectrical power from about 10 mW to about 5 kW.

In some examples for the power conditioning system 40B for the secondtransmission subsystem 120B, the amplifier 42 may be or may include oneor more class-E power amplifiers. Class-E power amplifiers areefficiently tuned switching power amplifiers designed for use at highfrequencies (e.g., frequencies from about 1 MHz to about 1 GHz).Generally, a class-E amplifier employs a single-pole switching elementand a tuned reactive network between the switch and an output load(e.g., the antenna 21). Class E amplifiers may achieve high efficiencyat high frequencies by only operating the switching element at points ofzero current (e.g., on-to-off switching) or zero voltage (off to onswitching). Such switching characteristics may minimize power lost inthe switch, even when the switching time of the device is long comparedto the frequency of operation. However, the amplifier 42 is certainlynot limited to being a class-E power amplifier and may be or may includeone or more of a class D amplifier, a class EF amplifier, an H invertoramplifier, and/or a push-pull invertor, among other amplifiers thatcould be included as part of the amplifier 42.

While illustrated as similar components, the components of the firstpower conditioning system 40A may be quite different from the secondpower conditioning system 40B, as the first power conditioning system40A has the amplifier 42 receive instructions for and subsequentlygenerates the virtual AC power signals. Alternatively, the second powerconditioning system is configured for transmitting a virtual DC powersignal and, thus, the amplifier 42B will be configured as such.Additionally or alternatively, the amplifier 42A may be configured for alow operating frequency, whereas the amplifier 42B may be configured fora high operating frequency.

Turning now to FIGS. 7 and 8 , the components of the second transmissionsubsystem 120B are illustrated, further detailing elements of the powerconditioning system 40B, the amplifier 42B, the tuning system 24B, amongother things. The block diagram of the second transmission sub system120B illustrates one or more electrical signals and the conditioning ofsuch signals, altering of such signals, transforming of such signals,inverting of such signals, amplification of such signals, andcombinations thereof. In FIG. 7 , actual, not virtual, DC power signalsare illustrated with heavily bolded lines, such that the lines aresignificantly thicker than other solid lines in FIG. 7 and other figuresof the instant application, AC signals are illustrated as substantiallysinusoidal wave forms with a thickness significantly less bolded thanthat of the DC power signal bolding, and data signals are represented asdotted lines. It is to be noted that the AC signals are not necessarilysubstantially sinusoidal waves and may be any AC waveform suitable forthe purposes described below (e.g., a half sine wave, a square wave, ahalf square wave, among other waveforms). FIG. 8 illustrates sampleelectrical components for elements of the wireless transmission system,and subcomponents thereof, in a simplified form. Note that FIG. 8 mayrepresent one branch or sub-section of a schematic for the wirelesstransmission system 20 and/or components of the wireless transmissionsystem 20 may be omitted from the schematic illustrated in FIG. 8 forclarity.

As illustrated in FIG. 7 and discussed above, the input power source 11provides an input direct current voltage (V_(DC)), which may have itsvoltage level altered by the voltage regulator 46, prior to conditioningat the amplifier 42B. In some examples, as illustrated in FIG. 8 , theamplifier 42 may include a choke inductor L_(CHOKE), which may beutilized to block radio frequency interference in V_(DC), while allowingthe DC power signal of V_(DC) to continue towards an amplifiertransistor 48 of the amplifier 42B. V_(CHOKE) may be configured as anysuitable choke inductor known in the art.

The amplifier 48B is configured to alter and/or invert V_(DC) togenerate an AC wireless signal V_(AC), which, as discussed in moredetail below, may be configured to carry one or both of an inbound andoutbound data signal (denoted as “Data” in FIG. 7 ). The amplifiertransistor 48 may be any switching transistor known in the art that iscapable of inverting, converting, and/or conditioning a DC power signalinto an AC power signal, such as, but not limited to, a field-effecttransistor (FET), gallium nitride (GaN) FETS, bipolar junctiontransistor (BJT), and/or wide-bandgap (WBG) semiconductor transistor,among other known switching transistors. The amplifier transistor 48 isconfigured to receive a driving signal (denoted as “PWM” in FIG. 7 )from at a gate of the amplifier transistor 48 (denoted as “G” in FIG. 7) and invert the DC signal V_(DC) to generate the AC wireless signal atan operating frequency and/or an operating frequency band for thewireless power transmission system 20. The driving signal may be a PWMsignal configured for such inversion at the operating frequency and/oroperating frequency band for the wireless power transmission system 20.

The driving signal is generated and output by the transmission controlsystem 26 and/or the transmission controller 28 therein, as discussedand disclosed above. The transmission controller 26, 28 is configured toprovide the driving signal and configured to perform one or more ofencoding wireless data signals (denoted as “Data” in FIG. 7 ), decodingthe wireless data signals (denoted as “Data” in FIG. 7 ) and anycombinations thereof. In some examples, the electrical data signals maybe in band signals of the AC wireless power signal. In some suchexamples, such in-band signals may be on-off-keying (OOK) signalsin-band of the AC wireless power signals. For example, Type-Acommunications, as described in the NFC Standards, are a form of OOK,wherein the data signal is on-off-keyed in a carrier AC wireless powersignal operating at an operating frequency in a range of about 13.553MHz to about 13.567 MHz.

However, when the power, current, impedance, phase, and/or voltagelevels of an AC power signal are changed beyond the levels used incurrent and/or legacy hardware for high frequency wireless powertransfer (over about 500 mW transmitted), such legacy hardware may notbe able to properly encode and/or decode in-band data signals with therequired fidelity for communications functions. Such higher power in anAC output power signal may cause signal degradation due to increasingrise times for an OOK rise, increasing fall time for an OOK fall,overshooting the required voltage in an OOK rise, and/or undershootingthe voltage in an OOK fall, among other potential degradations to thesignal due to legacy hardware being ill equipped for higher power, highfrequency wireless power transfer. Thus, there is a need for theamplifier 42B to be designed in a way that limits and/or substantiallyremoves rise and fall times, overshoots, undershoots, and/or othersignal deficiencies from an in-band data signal during wireless powertransfer. This ability to limit and/or substantially remove suchdeficiencies allows for the systems of the instant application toprovide higher power wireless power transfer in high frequency wirelesspower transmission systems.

For further exemplary illustration, FIG. 9 illustrates a plot for a falland rise of an OOK in-band signal. The fall time (t₁) is shown as thetime between when the signal is at 90% voltage (V₄) of the intended fullvoltage (V₁) and falls to about 5% voltage (V₂) of V₁. The rise time(t₃) is shown as the time between when the signal ends being at V₂ andrises to about V₄. Such rise and fall times may be read by a receivingantenna of the signal, and an applicable data communications protocolmay include limits on rise and fall times, such that data isnon-compliant and/or illegible by a receiver if rise and/or fall timesexceed certain bounds.

Returning now to FIGS. 7 and 8 , to achieve limitation and/orsubstantial removal of the mentioned deficiencies, the amplifier 42Bincludes a damping circuit 60. The damping circuit 60 is configured fordamping the AC wireless signal during transmission of the AC wirelesssignal and associated data signals. The damping circuit 60 may beconfigured to reduce rise and fall times during OOK signal transmission,such that the rate of the data signals may not only be compliant and/orlegible, but may also achieve faster data rates and/or enhanced dataranges, when compared to legacy systems. For damping the AC wirelesspower signal, the damping circuit includes, at least, a dampingtransistor 63, which is configured for receiving a damping signal(V_(damp)) from the transmission controller 62. The damping signal isconfigured for switching the damping transistor (on/off) to controldamping of the AC wireless signal during the transmission and/or receiptof wireless data signals. Such transmission of the AC wireless signalsmay be performed by the transmission controller 28 and/or suchtransmission may be via transmission from the wireless receiver system30, within the coupled magnetic field between the antennas 21B, 31B.

In examples wherein the data signals are conveyed via OOK, the dampingsignal may be substantially opposite and/or an inverse to the state ofthe data signals. This means that if the OOK data signals are in an “on”state, the damping signals instruct the damping transistor to turn “off”and thus the signal is not dissipated via the damping circuit 60 becausethe damping circuit is not set to ground and, thus, a short from theamplifier circuit and the current substantially bypasses the dampingcircuit 60. If the OOK data signals are in an “off” state, then thedamping signals may be “on” and, thus, the damping transistor 63 is setto an “on” state and the current flowing of V_(AC) is damped by thedamping circuit. Thus, when “on,” the damping circuit 60 may beconfigured to dissipate just enough power, current, and/or voltage, suchthat efficiency in the system is not substantially affected and suchdissipation decreases rise and/or fall times in the OOK signal. Further,because the damping signal may instruct the damping transistor 63 toturn “off” when the OOK signal is “on,” then it will not unnecessarilydamp the signal, thus mitigating any efficiency losses from V_(AC), whendamping is not needed.

As illustrated in FIG. 8 , the branch of the amplifier 42B which mayinclude the damping circuit 60, is positioned at the output drain of theamplifier transistor 48. While it is not necessary that the dampingcircuit 60 be positioned here, in some examples, this may aid inproperly damping the output AC wireless signal, as it will be able todamp at the node closest to the amplifier transistor 48 output drain,which is the first node in the circuit wherein energy dissipation isdesired. In such examples, the damping circuit is in electrical parallelconnection with a drain of the amplifier transistor 48. However, it iscertainly possible that the damping circuit be connected proximate tothe antenna 21, proximate to the transmission tuning system 24, and/orproximate to a tuning and filter circuit 24B.

While the damping circuit 60 is capable of functioning to properly dampthe AC wireless signal for proper communications at higher power highfrequency wireless power transmission, in some examples, the dampingcircuit may include additional components. For instance, as illustrated,the damping circuit 60 may include one or more of a damping diodeD_(DAMP), a damping resistor R_(DAMP), a damping capacitor C_(DAMP),and/or any combinations thereof. R_(DAMP) may be in electrical serieswith the damping transistor 63 and the value of R_(DAMP) (ohms) may beconfigured such that it dissipates at least some power from the powersignal, which may serve to accelerate rise and fall times in anamplitude shift keying signal, an OOK signal, and/or combinationsthereof. In some examples, the value of R_(DAMP) is selected,configured, and/or designed such that R_(DAMP) dissipates the minimumamount of power to achieve the fastest rise and/or fall times in anin-band signal allowable and/or satisfy standards limitations forminimum rise and/or fall times; thereby achieving data fidelity atmaximum efficiency (less power lost to R_(DAMP)) as well as maintainingdata fidelity when the system is unloaded and/or under lightest loadconditions.

C_(DAMP) may also be in series connection with one or both of thedamping transistor 63 and R_(DAMP). C_(DAMP) may be configured to smoothout transition points in an in-band signal and limit overshoot and/orundershoot conditions in such a signal. Further, in some examples,C_(DAMP) may be configured for ensuring the damping performed is 180degrees out of phase with the AC wireless power signal, when thetransistor is activated via the damping signal.

D_(DAMP) may further be included in series with one or more of thedamping transistor 63, R_(DAMP), C_(DAMP), and/or any combinationsthereof. D_(DAMP) is positioned, as shown, such that a current cannotflow out of the damping circuit 60, when the damping transistor 63 is inan off state. The inclusion of D_(DAMP) may prevent power efficiencyloss in the AC power signal when the damping circuit is not active or“on.” Indeed, while the damping transistor 63 is designed such that, inan ideal scenario, it serves to effectively short the damping circuitwhen in an “off” state, in practical terms, some current may still reachthe damping circuit and/or some current may possibly flow in theopposite direction out of the damping circuit 60. Thus, inclusion ofD_(DAMP) may prevent such scenarios and only allow current, power,and/or voltage to be dissipated towards the damping transistor 63. Thisconfiguration, including D_(DAMP), may be desirable when the dampingcircuit 60 is connected at the drain node of the amplifier transistor48, as the signal may be a half-wave sine wave voltage and, thus, thevoltage of V_(AC) is always positive.

Beyond the damping circuit 60, the amplifier 42B, in some examples, mayinclude a shunt capacitor C_(SHUNT). C_(SHUNT) may be configured toshunt the AC power signal to ground and charge voltage of the AC powersignal. Thus, C_(SHUNT) may be configured to maintain an efficient andstable waveform for the AC power signal, such that a duty cycle of about50% is maintained and/or such that the shape of the AC power signal issubstantially sinusoidal at positive voltages.

In some examples, the amplifier 42 may include a filter circuit 65. Thefilter circuit 65 may be designed to mitigate and/or filter outelectromagnetic interference (EMI) within the wireless transmissionsystem 20. Design of the filter circuit 65 may be performed in view ofimpedance transfer and/or effects on the impedance transfer of thewireless power transmission 20 due to alterations in tuning made by thetransmission tuning system 24. To that end, the filter circuit 65 may beor include one or more of a low pass filter, a high pass filter, and/ora band pass filter, among other filter circuits that are configured for,at least, mitigating EMI in a wireless power transmission system.

As illustrated, the filter circuit 65 may include a filter inductorL_(o) and a filter capacitor C_(o). The filter circuit 65 may have acomplex impedance and, thus, a resistance through the filter circuit 65may be defined as R_(o). In some such examples, the filter circuit 65may be designed and/or configured for optimization based on, at least, afilter quality factor γ_(FILTER), defined as:

$\gamma_{{FILTE}R} = {\frac{1}{R_{o}}{\sqrt{\frac{L_{o}}{C_{o}}}.}}$

In a filter circuit 65 wherein it includes or is embodied by a low passfilter, the cut-off frequency (ω_(o)) of the low pass filter is definedas:

$\omega_{o} = {\frac{1}{\sqrt{L_{o}C_{o}}}.}$In some wireless power transmission systems 20, it is desired that thecutoff frequency be about 1.03-1.4 times greater than the operatingfrequency of the antenna. Experimental results have determined that, ingeneral, a larger γ_(FILTER) may be preferred, because the largerγ_(FILTER) can improve voltage gain and improve system voltage rippleand timing. Thus, the above values for L_(o) and C_(o) may be set suchthat γ_(FILTER) can be optimized to its highest, ideal level (e.g., whenthe system 10 impedance is conjugately matched for maximum powertransfer), given cutoff frequency restraints and available componentsfor the values of L_(o) and C_(o).

As illustrated in FIG. 8 , the conditioned signal(s) from the amplifier42B is then received by the transmission tuning system 24, prior totransmission by the antenna 21. The transmission tuning system 24B mayinclude tuning and/or impedance matching, filters (e.g. a low passfilter, a high pass filter, a “pi” or “Π” filter, a “T” filter, an “L”filter, a “LL” filter, and/or an L-C trap filter, among other filters),network matching, sensing, and/or conditioning elements configured tooptimize wireless transfer of signals from the wireless transmissionsystem 20 to the wireless receiver system 30. Further, the transmissiontuning system 24 may include an impedance matching circuit, which isdesigned to match impedance with a corresponding wireless receiversystem 30 for given power, current, and/or voltage requirements forwireless transmission of one or more of electrical energy, electricalpower, electromagnetic energy, and electronic data. The illustratedtransmission tuning system 24 includes, at least, C_(Z1), C_(Z2). and(operatively associated with the antenna 21) values, all of which may beconfigured for impedance matching in one or both of the wirelesstransmission system 20 and the broader system 10. It is noted thatC_(Tx) refers to the intrinsic capacitance of the antenna 21.

Turning now to FIG. 10 and with continued reference to, at least, FIGS.1 and 2 , the wireless receiver system 30 is illustrated in furtherdetail. The wireless receiver system 30 is configured to receive, atleast, electrical energy, electrical power, electromagnetic energy,and/or electrically transmittable data via near field magnetic couplingfrom the wireless transmission system 20, via the transmission antenna21. As illustrated in FIG. 9 , the wireless receiver system 30 includes,at least, the receiver antennas 31, receiver tuning and filteringsystems 34, power conditioning systems 32, a receiver control system 36,and a voltage isolation circuit 70. The receiver tuning and filteringsystems 34 may be configured to substantially match the electricalimpedances of the wireless transmission system 20. In some examples, thereceiver tuning and filtering systems 34 may be configured todynamically adjust and substantially match the electrical impedance ofthe receiver antennas 31 to a characteristic impedance of the powergenerator or the load at a driving frequency of the transmission antenna20.

Similar to the wireless transmission system and as best noted in FIG. 2, the wireless receiver system 30 includes the first receiver subsystem130A and the second receiver subsystem 130B. As discussed above, thefirst receiver subsystem 130A is configured to receive the virtual ACpower signals and the second receiver subsystem 130B is configured toreceive the virtual DC power signals, which may include in-band, and/orreceive/transmit wireless data signals, by encoding the wireless datasignals in-band of the virtual DC power signals. The first receiversubsystem 130A is configured to provide, as rectified, an AC input to anAC load of the electronic device 14. The second receiver subsystem 120Bis configured to facilitate communications with the wirelesstransmission system 20 and provide a DC power input to a DC load 16B ofthe electronic device 14.

As illustrated, each power conditioning system 32 includes a rectifier33 and voltage regulator 35. In some examples, the rectifier 33 is inelectrical connection with the receiver tuning and filtering system 34.The rectifier 33 is configured to modify the received electrical energyfrom an alternating current electrical energy signal to a direct currentelectrical energy signal. In some examples, the rectifier 33 iscomprised of at least one diode. Some non-limiting exampleconfigurations for the rectifier 33 include, but are not limited toincluding, a full wave rectifier, including a center tapped full waverectifier and a full wave rectifier with filter, a half wave rectifier,including a half wave rectifier with filter, a bridge rectifier,including a bridge rectifier with filter, a split supply rectifier, asingle phase rectifier, a three phase rectifier, a voltage doubler, asynchronous voltage rectifier, a controlled rectifier, an uncontrolledrectifier, and a half controlled rectifier. As electronic devices may besensitive to voltage, additional protection of the electronic device maybe provided by clipper circuits or devices. In this respect, therectifier 33 may further include a clipper circuit or a clipper device,which is a circuit or device that removes either the positive half (tophalf), the negative half (bottom half), or both the positive and thenegative halves of an input AC signal. In other words, a clipper is acircuit or device that limits the positive amplitude, the negativeamplitude, or both the positive and the negative amplitudes of the inputAC signal.

While the rectifier 33B is configured to rectify the virtual DC signalsinto a substantially DC signal for the DC load, the rectifier 33A isconfigured to rectify the varying peak voltage virtual AC power signalsto generate a substantially AC power signal for the AC load of theelectronic device 14. The rectifier 33A, thus, rectifies continuously,but with wildly varying peak voltages, and, thus, each rectificationstep rises and falls with the rising and falling of the peak voltages ofcycles (operating frequency based) of the virtual AC power signals.

Some non-limiting examples of a voltage regulator 35 include, but arenot limited to, including a series linear voltage regulator, a buckconvertor, a low dropout (LDO) regulator, a shunt linear voltageregulator, a step up switching voltage regulator, a step down switchingvoltage regulator, an invertor voltage regulator, a Zener controlledtransistor series voltage regulator, a charge pump regulator, and anemitter follower voltage regulator. The voltage regulator 35 may furtherinclude a voltage multiplier, which is as an electronic circuit ordevice that delivers an output voltage having an amplitude (peak value)that is two, three, or more times greater than the amplitude (peakvalue) of the input voltage. The voltage regulator 35 is in electricalconnection with the rectifier 33 and configured to adjust the amplitudeof the electrical voltage of the wirelessly received electrical energysignal, after conversion to AC by the rectifier 33. In some examples,the voltage regulator 35 may an LDO linear voltage regulator; however,other voltage regulation circuits and/or systems are contemplated. Asillustrated, the direct current electrical energy signal output by thevoltage regulator 35 is received at the load 16 of the electronic device14. In some examples, a portion of the direct current electrical powersignal may be utilized to power the receiver control system 36 and anycomponents thereof; however, it is certainly possible that the receivercontrol system 36, and any components thereof, may be powered and/orreceive signals from the load 16 (e.g., when the load 16 is a batteryand/or other power source) and/or other components of the electronicdevice 14.

As illustrated in FIG. 10A, the receiver control system 36 may have onecontroller that controls both the first receiver subsystem 130A and thesecond receiver subsystem 130B. Alternatively, as illustrated in FIG.10B, the receiver control system 36 may have multiple controllers 38A,B, each respectively associated with and for controlling subsystems130A, B.

The receiver control system 36 may include, but is not limited toincluding, the receiver controller(s) 38, a communications system 39 anda memory 37. The receiver controller(s) 38 may be any electroniccontroller or computing system that includes, at least, a processorwhich performs operations, executes control algorithms, stores data,retrieves data, gathers data, controls and/or provides communicationwith other components and/or subsystems associated with the wirelessreceiver system 30. The receiver controller(s) 38 may be a singlecontroller or may include more than one controller disposed to controlvarious functions and/or features of the wireless receiver system 30.Functionality of the receiver controller(s) 38 may be implemented inhardware and/or software and may rely on one or more data maps relatingto the operation of the wireless receiver system 30. To that end, thereceiver controller(s) 38 may be operatively associated with the memory37. The memory may include one or both of internal memory, externalmemory, and/or remote memory (e.g., a database and/or server operativelyconnected to the receiver controller(s) 38 via a network, such as, butnot limited to, the Internet). The internal memory and/or externalmemory may include, but are not limited to including, one or more of aread only memory (ROM), including programmable read-only memory (PROM),erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM or sometimes but rarelylabelled EROM), electrically erasable programmable read-only memory(EEPROM), random access memory (RAM), including dynamic RAM (DRAM),static RAM (SRAM), synchronous dynamic RAM (SDRAM), single data ratesynchronous dynamic RAM (SDR SDRAM), double data rate synchronousdynamic RAM (DDR SDRAM, DDR2, DDR3, DDR4), and graphics double data ratesynchronous dynamic RAM (GDDR SDRAM, GDDR2, GDDR3, GDDR4, GDDR5, a flashmemory, a portable memory, and the like. Such memory media are examplesof nontransitory computer readable memory media.

Further, while particular elements of the receiver control system 36 areillustrated as subcomponents and/or circuits (e.g., the memory 37, thecommunications system 39, among other contemplated elements) of thereceiver control system 36, such components may be external of thereceiver controller(s) 38. In some examples, the receiver controller 38may be and/or include one or more integrated circuits configured toinclude functional elements of one or both of the receiver controller(s)38 and the wireless receiver system 30, generally. As used herein, theterm “integrated circuits” generally refers to a circuit in which all orsome of the circuit elements are inseparably associated and electricallyinterconnected so that it is considered to be indivisible for thepurposes of construction and commerce. Such integrated circuits mayinclude, but are not limited to including, thin-film transistors,thick-film technologies, and/or hybrid integrated circuits.

In some examples, the receiver controller 38 may be a dedicated circuitconfigured to send and receive data at a given operating frequency. Forexample, the receiver controller 38 may be or include a tagging oridentifier integrated circuit, such as, but not limited to, an NFC tagand/or labelling integrated circuit. Examples of such NFC tags and/orlabelling integrated circuits include the NTAG® family of integratedcircuits manufactured by NXP Semiconductors N.V. However, thecommunications system 39 is certainly not limited to these examplecomponents and, in some examples, the communications system 39 may beimplemented with another integrated circuit (e.g., integrated with thereceiver controller 38), and/or may be another transceiver of oroperatively associated with one or both of the electronic device 14 andthe wireless receiver system 30, among other contemplated communicationsystems and/or apparatus. Further, in some examples, functions of thecommunications system 39 may be integrated with the receiver controller38, such that the controller modifies the inductive field between theantennas 21, 31 to communicate in the frequency band of wireless powertransfer operating frequency.

Turning now to FIGS. 10 and 11 , the second receiver subsystem 120B isillustrated in further detail to show some example functionality of oneor more of the receiver controller 38, the voltage isolation circuit 70,and the rectifier 33B. The block diagram of the wireless receiver system30 illustrates one or more electrical signals and the conditioning ofsuch signals, altering of such signals, transforming of such signals,rectifying of such signals, amplification of such signals, andcombinations thereof. Similarly to FIG. 7 , DC power signals areillustrated with heavily bolded lines, such that the lines aresignificantly thicker than other solid lines in FIG. 7 and other figuresof the instant application, AC signals are illustrated as substantiallysinusoidal wave forms with a thickness significantly less bolded thanthat of the DC power signal bolding, and data signals are represented asdotted lines. FIG. 11 illustrates sample electrical components forelements of the wireless transmission system, and subcomponents thereof,in a simplified form. Note that FIG. 11 may represent one branch orsubsection of a schematic for the wireless receiver system 30 and/orcomponents of the wireless receiver system 30 may be omitted from theschematic, illustrated in FIG. 11 , for clarity.

As illustrated in FIG. 11 , the receiver antenna 31B receives an actualAC wireless signal, which includes the AC power signal (V_(AC)) and thedata signals (denoted as “Data” in FIG. 10 ), from the transmitterantenna 21B of the wireless transmission system 20. (It should beunderstood an example of a transmitted AC power signal and data signalwas previously shown in FIG. 7 ). V_(AC) will be received at therectifier 33 and/or the broader receiver power conditioning system 32,wherein the AC wireless power signal is converted to a DC wireless powersignal (V_(DC_REKT)). V_(DC_REKT) is then provided to, at least, theload 16 that is operatively associated with the wireless receiver system30. In some examples, V_(DC_REKT) is regulated by the voltage regulator35 and provided as a DC input voltage (V_(DC_CONT)) for the receivercontroller 38. In some examples, such as the signal path shown in FIG.11 , the receiver controller 38 may be directly powered by the load 16.In some other examples, the receiver controller 38 need not be poweredby the load 16 and/or receipt of V_(DC_CONT), but the receivercontroller 38 may harness, capture, and/or store power from V_(AC), aspower receipt occurring in receiving, decoding, and/or otherwisedetecting the data signals in-band of V_(AC).

The receiver controller(s) 38 is configured to perform one or more ofencoding the wireless data signals, decoding the wireless data signals,receiving the wireless data signals, transmitting the wireless datasignals, and/or any combinations thereof. In examples, wherein the datasignals are encoded and/or decoded as amplitude shift keyed (ASK)signals and/or OOK signals, the receiver controller(s) 38 may receiveand/or otherwise detect or monitor voltage levels of V_(AC) to detectin-band ASK and/or OOK signals. However, at higher power levels thanthose currently utilized in standard high frequency, NFMC communicationsand/or low power wireless power transmission, large voltages and/orlarge voltage swings at the input of a controller, such as thecontroller 38, may be too large for legacy microprocessor controllers tohandle without disfunction or damage being done to suchmicrocontrollers. Additionally, certain microcontrollers may only beoperable at certain operating voltage ranges and, thus, when highfrequency wireless power transfer occurs, the voltage swings at theinput to such microcontrollers may be out of range or too wide of arange for consistent operation of the microcontroller.

For example, in some high frequency higher power wireless power transfersystems 10, when an output power from the second transmission subsystem120B is greater than 1 W, voltage across the controller 38 may be higherthan desired for the controller 38. Higher voltage, lower currentconfigurations are often desirable, as such configurations may generatelower thermal losses and/or lower generated heat in the system 10, incomparison to a high current, low voltage transmission. To that end, theload 16 may not be a consistent load, meaning that the resistance and/orimpedance at the load 16 may swing drastically during, before, and/orafter an instance of wireless power transfer.

This is particularly an issue when the load 16 is a battery or otherpower storing device, as a fully charged battery has a much higherresistance than a fully depleted battery. For the purposes of thisillustrative discussion, we will assume:V _(AC_MIN) =I _(AC_MIN) *R _(LOAD_MIN), andP _(AC_MIN) =I _(AC) *V _(LOAD_MIN)=(I _(AC_MIN))² *R _(LOAD_MIN)wherein R_(LOAD_MIN) is the minimum resistance of the load 16 (e.g., ifthe load 16 is or includes a battery, when the battery of the load 16 isdepleted), I_(AC_MIN) is the current at R_(LOAD_MIN), V_(AC_MIN) is thevoltage of V_(AC) when the load 16 is at its minimum resistance andP_(AC_MIN) is the optimal power level for the load 16 at its minimalresistance. Further, we will assume:V _(AC_MAX) =I _(AC_MAX) *R _(LOAD_MAX), andP _(AC_MAX) =I _(AC_MAX) *V _(LOAD_MAX)=(I _(AC_MAX))² *R _(LOAD_MAX)wherein R_(LOAD_MAX) is the maximum resistance of the load 16 (e.g., ifthe load 16 is or includes a battery, when the battery of the load 16 isdepleted), I_(AC_MAX) is the current at V_(AC_MAX), V_(AC_MAX) is thevoltage of V_(AC) when the load 16 is at its minimum resistance andP_(AC_MAX) is the optimal power level for the load 16 at its maximalresistance.

Accordingly, as the current is desired to stay relatively low, theinverse relationship between I_(AC) and V_(AC) dictate that the voltagerange must naturally shift, in higher ranges, with the change ofresistance at the load 16. However, such voltage shifts may beunacceptable for proper function of the controller 38. To mitigate theseissues, the voltage isolation circuit 70 is included to isolate therange of voltages that can be seen at a data input and/or output of thecontroller 38 to an isolated controller voltage (V_(CONT)), which is ascaled version of V_(AC) and, thus, comparably scales any voltage-basedin-band data input and/or output at the controller 38. Accordingly, if arange for the AC wireless signal that is an unacceptable input range forthe controller 38 is represented byV _(AC) =[V _(AC_MIN) :V _(AC_MAX)]then the voltage isolation circuit 70 is configured to isolate thecontroller-unacceptable voltage range from the controller 38, by settingan impedance transformation to minimize the voltage swing and providethe controller with a scaled version of V_(AC), which does notsubstantially alter the data signal at receipt. Such a scaled controllervoltage, based on V_(AC), is V_(CONT), whereV _(CONT) =[V _(CONT_MIN) :V _(CONT_MAX].)While an altering load is one possible reason that an unacceptablevoltage swing may occur at a data input of a controller, there may beother physical, electrical, and/or mechanical characteristics and/orphenomena that may affect voltage swings in V_(AC), such as, but notlimited to, changes in coupling (k) between the antennas 21, 31,detuning of the system(s) 10, 20, 30 due to foreign objects, proximityof another receiver system 30 within a common field area, among otherthings.

As best illustrated in FIG. 12 , the voltage isolation circuit 70includes at least two capacitors, a first isolation capacitor C_(ISO1)and a second isolation capacitor C_(ISO2). While only two series, splitcapacitors are illustrated in FIG. 12 , it should also be understoodthat the voltage isolation circuit may include additional pairs of splitseries capacitors. C_(ISO1) and C_(ISO2) are electrically in series withone another, with a node therebetween, the node providing a connectionto the data input of the receiver controller 38. C_(ISO1) and C_(ISO2)are configured to regulate V_(AC) to generate the acceptable voltageinput range V_(CONT) for input to the controller. Thus, the voltageisolation circuit 70 is configured to isolate the controller 38 fromV_(AC), which is a load voltage, if one considers the rectifier 33 to bepart of a downstream load from the receiver controller 38.

In some examples, the capacitance values are configured such that aparallel combination of all capacitors of the voltage isolation circuit70 (e.g. C_(ISO1) and C_(ISO2)) is equal to a total capacitance for thevoltage isolation circuit (C_(TOTAL)). Thus,C _(ISO11) ∥C _(ISO2) =C _(TOTAL),wherein C_(TOTAL) is a constant capacitance configured for theacceptable voltage input range for input to the controller. C_(TOTAL)can be determined by experimentation and/or can be configured viamathematical derivation for a particular microcontroller embodying thereceiver controller 38.

In some examples, with a constant C_(TOTAL), individual values for theisolation capacitors C_(ISO1) and C_(ISO2) may be configured inaccordance with the following relationships:

${C_{{ISO}\; 1} = \frac{C_{TOTAL}*\left( {1 + t_{v}} \right)}{t_{v}}},{and}$C_(ISO 2) = C_(TOTAL) * (1 + t_(v)).wherein t_(v) is a scaling factor, which can be experimentally alteredto determine the best scaling values for C_(ISO1) and C_(ISO2), for agiven system. Alternatively, t_(v) may be mathematically derived, basedon desired electrical conditions for the system. In some examples (whichmay be derived from experimental results), t_(v) may be in a range ofabout 3 to about 10.

FIG. 11 further illustrates an example for the receiver tuning andfiltering system 34, which may be configured for utilization inconjunction with the voltage isolation circuit 70. The receiver tuningand filtering system 34B of FIG. 12 includes a controller capacitorC_(CONT), which is connected in series with the data input of thereceiver controller 38. The controller capacitor is configured forfurther scaling of V_(AC) at the controller, as altered by the voltageisolation circuit 70. To that end, the first and second isolationcapacitors, as shown, may be connected in electrical parallel, withrespect to the controller capacitor.

Additionally, in some examples, the receiver tuning and filtering system34B includes a receiver shunt capacitor C_(RxSHUNT), which is connectedin electrical parallel with the receiver antenna 31. C_(RxSHUNT) isutilized for initial tuning of the impedance of the wireless receiversystem 30 and/or the broader system 30 for proper impedance matchingand/or C_(RxSHUNT) is included to increase the voltage gain of a signalreceived by the receiver antenna 31.

The wireless receiver system 30, utilizing the voltage isolation circuit70, may have the capability to achieve proper data communicationsfidelity at greater receipt power levels at the load 16, when comparedto other high frequency wireless power transmission systems. To thatend, the wireless receiver system 30, with the voltage isolation circuit70, is capable of receiving power from the wireless transmission systemthat has an output power at levels over 1 W of power, whereas legacyhigh frequency systems may be limited to receipt from output levels ofonly less than 1 W of power. For example, in legacy NFC-DC systems, thepoller (receiver system) often utilizes a microprocessor from the NTAGfamily of microprocessors, which was initially designed for very lowpower data communications. NTAG microprocessors, without protection orisolation, may not adequately and/or efficiently receive wireless powersignals at output levels over 1 W. However, inventors of the presentapplication have found, in experimental results, that when utilizingvoltage isolation circuits as disclosed herein, the NTAG chip may beutilized and/or retrofitted for wireless power transfer and wirelesscommunications, either independently or simultaneously.

To that end, the voltage isolation circuits disclosed herein may utilizeinexpensive components (e.g., isolation capacitors) to modifyfunctionality of legacy, inexpensive microprocessors (e.g., an NTAGfamily microprocessor), for new uses and/or improved functionality.Further, while alternative controllers may be used as the receivercontroller 38 that may be more capable of receipt at higher voltagelevels and/or voltage swings, such controllers may be cost prohibitive,in comparison to legacy controllers. Accordingly, the systems andmethods herein allow for use of less costly components, for high powerhigh frequency wireless power transfer.

FIG. 13A illustrates an example, non-limiting embodiment of one or moreof the transmitter antennas 21 and/or the receiver antennas 31, whichmay be used with any of the systems, methods, and/or apparatus disclosedherein. In the illustrated embodiment, the antenna 21, 31 is a flatspiral coil configuration. Non-limiting examples can be found in U.S.Pat. Nos. 9,941,743, 9,960,628, 9,941,743 all to Peralta et al.; U.S.Pat. Nos. 9,948,129, 10,063,100 to Singh et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 9,941,590to Luzinski; U.S. Pat. No. 9,960,629 to Rajagopalan et al.; and U.S.Patent App. Nos. 2017/0040107, 2017/0040105, 2017/0040688 to Peralta etal.; all of which are assigned to the assignee of the presentapplication and incorporated fully herein by reference. The antenna 21,31 illustrated in FIG. 13A is a printed circuit board (PCB) or flexibleprinted circuit board (FPC) antenna, having a plurality of turns 97 of aconductor and one or more connectors 99, all disposed on a substrate 95of the antenna 21, 31. While the antenna 21, 31 is illustrated, in FIG.13A, having a certain number of turns and/or layers, the PCB or FPCantenna may include any number of turns or layers. The PCB or FPCantenna 21, 31 of FIG. 13A may be produced via any known method ofmanufacturing PCB or FPCs known to those skilled in the art.

In another embodiment of the antennas 21, 31, illustrated in FIG. 13B,the antenna 21, 31 may be a wire wound antenna, wherein the antenna is aconductive wire wound in a particular pattern and having any number ofturns 96. The wire wound antenna 21, 31 may be free standing within anassociated structure or, in some examples, the wire wound antenna 21, 31may be either held in place or positioned using a wire holder 98.

In addition, the antennas 21, 31 may be constructed having amulti-layer-multi-turn (MLMT) construction in which at least oneinsulator is positioned between a plurality of conductors. Non-limitingexamples of antennas having an MLMT construction that may beincorporated within the wireless transmission system(s) 20 and/or thewireless receiver system(s) 30 may be found in U.S. Pat. Nos. 8,610,530,8,653,927, 8,680,960, 8,692,641, 8,692,642, 8,698,590, 8,698,591,8,707,546, 8,710,948, 8,803,649, 8,823,481, 8,823,482, 8,855,786,8,898,885, 9,208,942, 9,232,893, and 9,300,046 to Singh et al., all ofwhich are assigned to the assignee of the present application areincorporated fully herein. These are merely exemplary antenna examples;however, it is contemplated that the antennas 21, 31 may be any antennacapable of the aforementioned higher power, high frequency wirelesspower transfer.

The systems, methods, and apparatus disclosed herein are designed tooperate in an efficient, stable and reliable manner to satisfy a varietyof operating and environmental conditions. The systems, methods, and/orapparatus disclosed herein are designed to operate in a wide range ofthermal and mechanical stress environments so that data and/orelectrical energy is transmitted efficiently and with minimal loss. Inaddition, the system 10 may be designed with a small form factor using afabrication technology that allows for scalability, and at a cost thatis amenable to developers and adopters. In addition, the systems,methods, and apparatus disclosed herein may be designed to operate overa wide range of frequencies to meet the requirements of a wide range ofapplications.

In an embodiment, a ferrite shield may be incorporated within theantenna structure to improve antenna performance. Selection of theferrite shield material may be dependent on the operating frequency asthe complex magnetic permeability (μ=μ′−j*μ″) is frequency dependent.The material may be a polymer, a sintered flexible ferrite sheet, arigid shield, or a hybrid shield, wherein the hybrid shield comprises arigid portion and a flexible portion. Additionally, the magnetic shieldmay be composed of varying material compositions. Examples of materialsmay include, but are not limited to, zinc comprising ferrite materialssuch as manganese-zinc, nickel-zinc, copper-zinc, magnesium-zinc, andcombinations thereof.

As used herein, the phrase “at least one of” preceding a series ofitems, with the term “and” or “or” to separate any of the items,modifies the list as a whole, rather than each member of the list (i.e.,each item). The phrase “at least one of” does not require selection ofat least one of each item listed; rather, the phrase allows a meaningthat includes at least one of any one of the items, and/or at least oneof any combination of the items, and/or at least one of each of theitems. By way of example, the phrases “at least one of A, B, and C” or“at least one of A, B, or C” each refer to only A, only B, or only C;any combination of A, B, and C; and/or at least one of each of A, B, andC.

The predicate words “configured to”, “operable to”, and “programmed to”do not imply any particular tangible or intangible modification of asubject, but, rather, are intended to be used interchangeably. In one ormore embodiments, a processor configured to monitor and control anoperation or a component may also mean the processor being programmed tomonitor and control the operation or the processor being operable tomonitor and control the operation. Likewise, a processor configured toexecute code can be construed as a processor programmed to execute codeor operable to execute code.

A phrase such as “an aspect” does not imply that such aspect isessential to the subject technology or that such aspect applies to allconfigurations of the subject technology. A disclosure relating to anaspect may apply to all configurations, or one or more configurations.An aspect may provide one or more examples of the disclosure. A phrasesuch as an “aspect” may refer to one or more aspects and vice versa. Aphrase such as an “embodiment” does not imply that such embodiment isessential to the subject technology or that such embodiment applies toall configurations of the subject technology. A disclosure relating toan embodiment may apply to all embodiments, or one or more embodiments.An embodiment may provide one or more examples of the disclosure. Aphrase such an “embodiment” may refer to one or more embodiments andvice versa. A phrase such as a “configuration” does not imply that suchconfiguration is essential to the subject technology or that suchconfiguration applies to all configurations of the subject technology. Adisclosure relating to a configuration may apply to all configurations,or one or more configurations. A configuration may provide one or moreexamples of the disclosure. A phrase such as a “configuration” may referto one or more configurations and vice versa.

The word “exemplary” is used herein to mean “serving as an example,instance, or illustration.” Any embodiment described herein as“exemplary” or as an “example” is not necessarily to be construed aspreferred or advantageous over other embodiments. Furthermore, to theextent that the term “include,” “have,” or the like is used in thedescription or the claims, such term is intended to be inclusive in amanner similar to the term “comprise” as “comprise” is interpreted whenemployed as a transitional word in a claim. Furthermore, to the extentthat the term “include,” “have,” or the like is used in the descriptionor the claims, such term is intended to be inclusive in a manner similarto the term “comprise” as “comprise” is interpreted when employed as atransitional word in a claim.

All structural and functional equivalents to the elements of the variousaspects described throughout this disclosure that are known or latercome to be known to those of ordinary skill in the art are expresslyincorporated herein by reference and are intended to be encompassed bythe claims. Moreover, nothing disclosed herein is intended to bededicated to the public regardless of whether such disclosure isexplicitly recited in the claims. No claim element is to be construedunder the provisions of 35 U.S.C. § 112, sixth paragraph, unless theelement is expressly recited using the phrase “means for” or, in thecase of a method claim, the element is recited using the phrase “stepfor.”

Reference to an element in the singular is not intended to mean “one andonly one” unless specifically so stated, but rather “one or more.”Unless specifically stated otherwise, the term “some” refers to one ormore. Pronouns in the masculine (e.g., his) include the feminine andneuter gender (e.g., her and its) and vice versa. Headings andsubheadings, if any, are used for convenience only and do not limit thesubject disclosure.

While this specification contains many specifics, these should not beconstrued as limitations on the scope of what may be claimed, but ratheras descriptions of particular implementations of the subject matter.Certain features that are described in this specification in the contextof separate embodiments can also be implemented in combination in asingle embodiment. Conversely, various features that are described inthe context of a single embodiment can also be implemented in multipleembodiments separately or in any suitable sub-combination. Moreover,although features may be described above as acting in certaincombinations and even initially claimed as such, one or more featuresfrom a claimed combination can in some cases be excised from thecombination, and the claimed combination may be directed to a subcombination or variation of a sub combination.

What is claimed is:
 1. A wireless power transmission system comprising:a first transmission antenna configured to couple with a first receiverantenna and transmit virtual AC power signals to the first receiverantenna; a second transmission antenna configured to couple with asecond receiver antenna and transmit virtual direct current (DC) powersignals to the second receiver antenna; at least one transmissioncontroller that is configured to (i) determine a first driving signalfor driving the first transmission antenna based on a first operatingfrequency, a virtual AC power frequency, a slot length, and a slottiming, (ii) provide the first driving signal, (iii) determine a seconddriving signal for driving the second transmission antenna based on asecond operating frequency, the slot length (t_(Slot)), and the slottiming, and (iv) provide the second driving signal; a first transmissionpower conditioning system including at least one first transistor thatis configured to receive the first driving signal, at a gate of the atleast one first transistor, and to receive a first input power signal togenerate the virtual AC power signals at the first operating frequency,the virtual AC power signals having peak voltages rising and fallingbased on the virtual AC power frequency; and a second transmission powerconditioning system including at least one second transistor that isconfigured to receive the second driving signal, at a gate of the atleast one second transistor, and to receive a second input power signalto generate the virtual DC power signals at the second operatingfrequency.
 2. The wireless power transmission system of claim 1, whereindetermining the first driving signal further includes determining aplurality of slots of time in the first driving signal based on t_(Slot)and the slot timing, wherein the first driving signal is configured suchthat the first transmission antenna is not transmitting meaningfulelectrical energy during each of the plurality of slots of time.
 3. Thewireless power transmission system of claim 2, wherein determining thesecond driving signal, by the at least one transmission controller,further includes configuring transmission of the virtual DC powersignals such that transmission of the virtual DC power signals occurs,at least, within one or more of the plurality of slots of time.
 4. Thewireless power transmission system of claim 3, wherein determining thesecond driving signal further includes configuring transmission of thevirtual DC power signals such that the second transmission antenna isnot transmitting meaningful electrical energy while the firsttransmission antenna is transmitting meaningful electrical energy. 5.The wireless power transmission system of claim 3, wherein determiningthe second driving signal is further configured to encode data signalsin-band of the virtual DC power signals, and wherein the data signalsare encoded in the virtual DC power signals during at least one of theone or more of the plurality of slots of time.
 6. The wireless powertransmission system of claim 3, wherein the at least one transmissioncontroller is further configured to decode data signals from the virtualDC power signals, the data signals being encoded in the virtual DC powersignal by a receiver of the DC power signals.
 7. The wireless powertransmission system of claim 3, wherein determining the first drivingsignal includes configuring the slot timing to occur after each passageof a periodic slot time, the periodic slot time based, at least in part,on the virtual AC power frequency.
 8. The wireless power transmissionsystem of claim 7, wherein the periodic slot time is an AC-on time(t_(ACOn)), wherein ${t_{ACOn} = {N*\left( \frac{1}{f_{vAC}} \right)}},$wherein N is a number of cycles of a waveform for the virtual AC powersignals, and wherein f_(vAC) is the virtual AC power frequency.
 9. Thewireless power transmission system of claim 8, wherein t_(ACOn) ends atone of a plurality of virtual zero crosses of the virtual AC powersignals, and wherein each of the plurality of slots begins at one of theplurality of virtual zero crosses.
 10. The wireless power transmissionsystem of claim 9, wherein t_(ACOn) begins after passage of t_(Slot).11. The wireless power transmission system of claim 10, wherein t_(Slot)is in a range of about 0.5 milliseconds (ms.) to about 2.5 ms.
 12. Thewireless power transmission system of claim 1, wherein providing thesecond driving signal includes configuring a secondary powertransmission for the virtual DC power signals, the secondary powertransmission for the virtual DC power signals occurring when the firsttransmission antenna is not transmitting meaningful electrical energy.13. The wireless power transmission system of claim 12, wherein thesecondary power transmission is transmission of the virtual DC powersignals, prior to transmission of the virtual AC power signals.
 14. Thewireless power transmission system of claim 13, wherein the first andsecond receiver antennas are operatively associated with an electronicdevice, the electronic device including a first component and a secondcomponent, wherein the virtual AC power signals are configured forpowering, at least, the first component, and wherein the virtual DCpower signals are configured for powering the second component duringthe secondary power transmission.
 15. The wireless power transmissionsystem of claim 14, wherein the second component is a control deviceconfigured for controlling, at least, one or more functions of thesecond component.
 16. The wireless power transmission system of claim15, wherein the secondary power transmission of the virtual DC powersignals is configured to power the control device during a start upsequence for the electronic device.
 17. A wireless power receiver systemcomprising: a first receiver antenna configured to couple with a firsttransmission antenna and receive virtual AC power signals from the firsttransmission antenna, the first receiver antenna operating based on afirst operating frequency, the virtual AC power signals based on thefirst operating frequency, a virtual AC power frequency, a slot length,and a slot timing; a second receiver antenna configured to couple with asecond transmission antenna and receive virtual DC power signals fromthe second transmission antenna, the second receiver antenna operatingbased on a second operating frequency, the virtual DC power signalsconfigured to be received when the first receiver antenna is notreceiving meaningful electrical energy, wherein the virtual DC powersignals are configured to carry in-band data signals; a first receiverpower conditioning system configured to (i) receive the virtual AC powersignals, (ii) convert the virtual AC power signals to alternatingcurrent (AC) received power signals, and (iii) provide the AC receivedpower signals to a first load; and second receiver power conditioningsystem configured to (i) receive the virtual DC power signals, (ii)convert the virtual DC power signals to DC received power signals, and(iii) provide the DC received power signals to a second load.
 18. Thewireless power receiver system of claim 17, further comprising areceiver controller configured to encode the in-band data signalscarried by the virtual DC power signals.
 19. The wireless power receiversystem of claim 17, further comprising a receiver controller configuredto decode the in-band data signals carried by the virtual DC powersignals.
 20. A wireless power transfer system comprising a wirelesspower transmission system, including a transmission antenna configuredto couple with a receiver antenna and transmit virtual AC power signalsto the receiver antenna; a transmission communications system configuredto communicate with a wireless receiver system; a transmissioncontroller that is configured to determine a driving signal for drivingthe transmission antenna based on an operating frequency, a virtual ACpower frequency, a slot length, and a slot timing, wherein the slotlength and slot timing are configured such that the wireless powertransmission system can send or receive data within a slot based on theslot length and slot timing; a transmission power conditioning systemincluding at least one transistor that is configured to receive thedriving signal, at a gate of the at least one transistor, and to receivean input power signal to generate the virtual AC power signals at theoperating frequency and having peak voltages rising and falling based onthe virtual AC power frequency; and the wireless receiver system,including the receiver antenna configured for coupling with thetransmission antenna and receiving the virtual AC power signals from thetransmission antenna, the receiver antenna operating based on theoperating frequency; a receiver communications system configured tocommunicate with the wireless power transmission system by sending orreceiving data during the slot; and a receiver power conditioning systemconfigured to (i) receive the virtual AC power signals, (ii) convert thevirtual AC power signals to alternating current (AC) received powersignals, and (iii) provide the AC received power signals to a load.